Hospitals across the country are scrambling as intravenous fluid stocks are at risk after a supplier in North Carolina was hit.
Baxter International, a medical products manufacturing plant located in Marion, North Carolina, about 55 miles from Asheville, was damaged by Hurricane Helen. Concerns about slush, damaged bridges and flooding forced the factory to close for the time being.
“If you get a big burn, you can quickly blow out a lot of liquid.”
“The safety of our employees, their families, and the communities in which we operate remains our top concern, and we are committed to ensuring a reliable supply of products to patients. We are working on it,” Mr. A said. statement From Jose “Joe” Almeida, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Baxter Corporation. “Remediation efforts are already underway and we are devoting human and financial resources to restart production and ensure patients and healthcare workers have the products they need.”
According to CBS NewsBaxter supplies about 60% of the nation's IV bags, so the country's shutdown has caused hospitals as far away as Massachusetts and Oregon to take emergency measures to deal with potential IV fluid shortages. .
A long-time medical expert at Massachusetts General Brigham Hospital in Boston explained to Blaze News that IV fluid shortages can impact patients with a variety of medical needs.
“Patients who are dehydrated, patients who cannot eat, patients who cannot swallow, patients who have undergone surgery, patients who come for surgery, patients who come for surgery but the surgery did not go well, patients who are bleeding. Patients who need resuscitation fluids, trauma patients, burn patients, cancer patients, you know, the whole population,” said a medical staff member who requested anonymity.
“If you get a big burn, a lot of fluid can blow through you very quickly.”
So far, Brigham has managed to meet the needs of patients, medical experts told Blaze News.
However, he also shared a screenshot of a memo issued by the hospital on October 2 that made clear the seriousness of the situation. The memo claims the hospital is experiencing a “severe and imminent IV fluid shortage” and urges medical personnel to “take immediate action to conserve IV fluids.”
The screenshot was shared with Blaze News. Used with permission.
The hospital did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News, but Dr. Paul Bidder, director of preparedness and continuity at Massachusetts General Brigham Hospital, told CBS News that the hospital is in the midst of the “largest shortage” in hospital history. He admitted that he was facing “one.” .
At Friday's press conference, Mr. Bidder maintained that he expects MGB to continue receiving about 40% of its normal supply from Baxter.
said Chris Lehman, vice president of strategy at Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria, Oregon. NPR Similar story.
“At my hospital, I was told I could expect 40% of normal orders,” Raman told the publication via email. “We are talking about the need to limit elective surgeries.”
Meanwhile, manufacturers well outside the path of Hurricane Helen and the subsequent flood zone are trying to make up for the shortfall. “We are taking immediate steps to increase production at our pharmaceutical manufacturing sites in Irvine, California and Daytona Beach, Florida, with a focus on critical IV fluids,” B. Brown told CBS News.
Many experienced medical professionals are already dealing with similar shortages after Hurricane Maria forced Puerto Rico's leading IV fluid manufacturer to shut down in 2017.
“Having experienced similar challenges in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017, we remain mindful of how we manage the supply of these medicines to minimize the impact on patients. “Hospital operations continue as usual and patient care is not affected,” Bidder said. .
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