US I.V. supplies threatened by hurricane damage

[Maxmars]

It seems our supply of IV supplies, vital to everything from "intravenous rehydration" and "drug delivery" to "peritoneal dialysis," is now in jeopardy because the one plant that produced 60% of our supply (again, for the entire nation) is no longer in operation.

Brace yourselves for increased hospital costs... (surprise)

From ArsTechnica: Helene ravaged the NC plant that makes 60% of the country’s IV fluid supply

Hurricane Helene's catastrophic damage and flooding to the Southeastern states may affect the country's medical supply chain.

Hospitals nationwide are bracing for a possible shortage of essential intravenous fluids after the cataclysmic storm inundated a vital manufacturing plant in North Carolina.

The plant is Baxter International's North Cove manufacturing facility in Marion, which is about 35 miles northeast of Asheville. Helene unleashed unprecedented amounts of rain throughout the western part of the state, killing dozens and ravaging numerous communities, homes, and other structures, including the plant.

The North Cove plant produces 60 percent of the country's supply of IV solutions, typically producing 1.5 million bags per day, according to the American Hospital Association. The dozens of sterile solutions Baxter makes at the facility are used for everything from intravenous rehydration and drug delivery to peritoneal dialysis used to treat kidney failure.

There is still no word on when the plant will resume its operations... but I suppose that is to be expected... since FEMA somehow has no money.

[UltraBudgie]

No worries, the government looked into it, and they've closed their investigation:

Baxter International Inc said the U.S. Justice Department has closed an antitrust probe examining possible communication among producers of intravenous saline solutions during supply shortages that created higher prices.

Oh wait, that's from 2019! Amazing what you can find you enter a custom date range in the search engine...

Baxter, which received a grand jury subpoena in 2017 as part of the investigation, said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday that the department informed it on Nov. 30 of its decision to end the probe. Other companies that in April 2017 disclosed receiving subpoenas as part of the investigation included Pfizer Inc and ICU Medical Inc, which earlier that year had acquired Pfizer's global infusion therapy business.
https://www.reuters.com/article/business...KCN1QB25J/

 

While Hurricane Maria in 2017 was one of the most publicized causes for IV solution shortages in recent years, the problems began long before that storm. As the FDA stated at the time, “Although Hurricane Maria affected Baxter’s facilities in Puerto Rico, there have been limited supplies of IV fluids since 2014.” Throughout 2014, the U.S. experienced a nationwide shortage of IV solutions, specifically saline large volume intravenous solution.
https://www.hpnonline.com/surgical-criti...-shortages

 

Intravenous (IV) nitroglycerin continues to be in short supply in the United States, and efforts are ongoing to try to boost supplies, Baxter International and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) told Medscape Medical News today.
...In the past, nitroglycerin injection was manufactured by 3 companies: Luitpold/American Regent, Baxter, and Hospira. However, since the fall of 2013, Baxter has been the sole supplier to the US market because of manufacturing problems at the other 2 companies.
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/822691?form=fpf

 

Jan 21, 2013: So my home health infusion provider has notified me of a shortage of lipids for my TPN infusions. I am allocated less than a third of what I need in a week. I am quite disturbed by this developement and I wondered if any other TPN patients might be as well??

...What are others doing about this? Are you eating more? Are your lipids being rationed (I was told it was a national shortage and Baxter, the only provider of lipids in the US, is not making enough)?
https://www.inspire.com/groups/oley-foun...shortages/

They've been playing this game for a while now.

[Maxmars]

And.... here it comes

From ArsTechnica: Over 86% of surveyed health care providers are short on IV fluids

The owner of the North Carolina plant, Baxter, is boosting production at its other global manufacturing sites and has inbound products and air shipments in the works, the company said in an announcement Wednesday.

...In the poll, 88 percent of providers said they were receiving less than half of their requested orders, and about 54 percent said their supplies were down to 10 days or less, which is below the typical on-hand supply of 15 to 22 days. Most strikingly, nearly 17 percent said they had already begun postponing elective surgeries and other procedures. And 78 percent said they would be forced to do the same if the current situation persists over the next month.

Not so sanguine about having 'global' sources to tap when this is a vital healthcare product... should we be encouraging 'local' economic choices?  Guess not.

[UltraBudgie]

We are aware that there is a tremendous amount of misinformation circulating in the marketplace, and we are disheartened to see blatant speculation fueling patient and customer concerns. As always, prioritizing patient care is our goal, and it is our sincere hope that everyone works to uphold this standard.

Tell us more about this blatant speculation.

https://www.baxter.com/baxter-newsroom/h...ne-updates

[Maxmars]

Tell us more about this blatant speculation.

https://www.baxter.com/baxter-newsroom/h...ne-updates

I would suggest that it has to do with the financial market speculating on the value of their stock...
I mean I would suggest that...
If I didn't already suspect that media will take these press-release words to their publications and couch the term "misinformation" into the biggest foul that they can claim...
regular people thinking on their own account without media influence.

[xuenchen]

 

[UltraBudgie]

I would suggest that it has to do with the financial market speculating on the value of their stock...
I mean I would suggest that...
If I didn't already suspect that media will take these press-release words to their publications and couch the term "misinformation" into the biggest foul that they can claim...
regular people thinking on their own account without media influence.

Gosh, if those market vultures are swooping in and playing stock price games with a critical health infrastructure company like Baxter, well, that just doesn't seem right. Why, Baxter has really gone above and beyond here:

As our CEO, Joe Almeida, reiterated, “We will spare no resource — human or financial — to restart operations and help ensure patients and providers have the products they need.”
ibid.

There's 2,500 people employed at Baxter's North Cove facility. Those people and their families don't need the extra stress about worrying about their company's ability to financially support them in this troubling time.

I hope FEMA and those in charge of their relief funds are taking a close look at the situation here. Perhaps some politicians need to get involved and cut through the red tape.

This is a sickening situation.

[Maxmars]

This is a sickening situation.

That's very "punny."

I don't actually know that the stock issue was at center of the complaint about misinformation... I was only guessing.
But I think your are very well centered on this problem, and what it could mean.

I have to wonder if this is even on FEMA's radar.. since they are so hell bent on 'appearances' and 'political damage control.'

The numbers are alarming... the response seems like pro-forma marketing and PR work, anything else is 'invisible,' I wonder why?