US hospitals face IV shortage as new hurricane threats loom

Oct 7

Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Shea Taylor (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Lead Video Editor), Jonah Applegarth (Graphics Operator)

As another hurricane barrels toward the United States’ Gulf Coast, hospitals across the country are dealing with a shortage of IV fluid caused by the last one. Hurricane Helene forced manufacturers to halt production.

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The leading supplier of IV fluids in the U.S., Baxter International, said its facility in North Carolina will remain closed for the foreseeable future after it flooded during the storm. The company supplies about 60% of IV fluid bags in the U.S.

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IV fluids treat dehydration and are a critical component of surgery – when patients are asleep for a long time and can’t eat or drink.

Because of Hurricane Helene, Baxter has placed limits on how many IV bags hospitals can buy at one time. There are other fluid manufacturers in the U.S. but they tend to give priority to meeting the demand from their existing customers, one Boston doctor told the Wall Street Journal.

Florida hospitals are facing a supply disruption of intravenous and peritoneal dialysis solutions due to the temporary closure of Baxter International, Inc.'s Marion, NC, facility as a result of damage from Hurricane Helene. FHA is closely monitoring the state's supply and is… pic.twitter.com/bqe91W6Feq
— Florida Hospital Association (@FLHospitalAssn) October 4, 2024

The U.S. also can’t count on European manufacturers to fill the gap because there’s a global shortage of IV fluids right now, as well. Baxter said it’s working with health, emergency, and government officials to get back up and running as soon as possible.

Tags: Boston, Europe, Gulf Coast, Health, Health Care, hurricane, Hurricane Helene, Hurricane season, Manufacturing, North Carolina, Wall Street Journal

Lauren Taylor

AS ANOTHER HURRICANE BARRELS TOWARD THE UNITED STATES’ GULF COAST… HOSPITALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE DEALING WITH A SHORTAGE OF I-V FLUID – AFTER HURRICANE HELENE FORCED MANUFACTURERS TO HALT PRODUCTION.

THE LEADING SUPPLIER OF I-V FLUIDS IN THE U-S – BAXTER INTERNATIONAL – SAYS ITS FACILITY IN NORTH CAROLINA WILL REMAINED CLOSED FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE AFTER IT FLOODED DURING THE STORM.

THE COMPANY SUPPLIES ABOUT 60 PERCENT OF I-V FLUID BAGS IN THE U-S.

I-V FLUIDS TREAT DEHYDRATION AND ARE A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF SURGERY – WHEN PATIENTS ARE ASLEEP FOR A LONG TIME AND AREN’T ABLE TO EAT OR DRINK.

BECAUSE OF HURRICANE HELENE… BAXTER HAS PLACED LIMITS ON HOW MANY I-V BAGS HOSPITALS CAN BUY AT ONE TIME.

THERE *ARE* OTHER FLUID MANUFACTURERS IN THE U-S – BUT THEY TEND TO GIVE PRIORITY TO MEETING THE DEMAND FROM THEIR EXISTING CUSTOMERS, ONE BOSTON DOCTOR TOLD THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.

THE U-S ALSO CAN’T COUNT ON EUROPEAN MANUFACTURERS TO FILL THE GAP BECAUSE THERE’S A GLOBAL SHORTAGE OF I-V FLUIDS RIGHT NOW, AS WELL.

BAXTER SAYS IT’S WORKING WITH HEALTH, EMERGENCY, AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO GET BACK UP AND RUNNING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.