Hospitals take steps to conserve IV fluid supply after Helene strikes critical factory
Source: NBC News
Oct. 3, 2024, 6:35 PM EDT
Hospitals across the U.S. are taking steps to conserve their supplies of IV fluids after Hurricane Helene struck a critical manufacturing plant belonging to the country’s biggest supplier.
Baxter International, a medical technology company responsible for making IV fluids for most U.S. hospitals, said Sunday that it would temporarily close production at its North Cove, North Carolina-based facility because of flooding from Helene, raising concerns about a potential nationwide shortage.
IV fluids are used to deliver drugs or water with electrolytes directly into a patient’s bloodstream. They’re also critical for surgery, when a person is unable to eat or drink, to keep them hydrated. Baxter also makes specialty fluids, such as peritoneal dialysis fluid, which helps patients with kidney failure filter waste from their blood, as well as irrigation fluids, used during procedures to clean or flush wounds.
There are four primary manufacturers of IV fluids in the U.S. Baxter is the leader, accounting for about 60% of the market.
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/hospitals-take-steps-conserve-iv-fluid-supply-helene-strikes-critical-rcna173861
As a note - NC has a HUGE pharmaceutical presence. Some might recall the tornado that disrupted some operations at Pfizer's plant in eastern NC in Rocky Mount.
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We definitely need to expand and diversify production locations too!
Thanks for the, BRDS.
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Most of it has been in the NE and Midwest, although there is also a biotech presence in TX.
The largest numbers have been in NJ and here in PA.
I hope you're being sarcastic because RTP has been here since 1959.
Baxter is one of four and they are blaming the shortage on the bridges being out. Sounds lame to me.
Maybe Baxter needs to rethink their business model.
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The "big pharma" industry goes back to the 1800s - Johnson & Johnson, McNeil Pharmaceuticals (that ended up under J&J), what was once Warner-Lambert, what was once Merck, Sharpe, & Dohme, etc.
Baxter is a 20th century company, NOT a 19th century one.
And don't ask me to reveal why I know this given I am a retired chemist who worked for the government.
Your secrets are safe with me.
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Those IVs (and their many formulations like the common NaCl Solution USP, Lactated Ringer's USP, various injectables, etc) are considered, tested, and regulated as pharmaceuticals.
They didn't open that facility down there until 1971. They originated in IL. And Baxter has had all kinds of regulatory issues in the past so they will be under exta scrutiny in the aftermath of this.
I do hope they can recover because the last thing we need is any more shortages. 
(ETA - and there WAS a recent push to move industries down to the "Research Triangle" area, more recently banking. The state was apparently encouraging it and offering incentives for corporations to move down there)