How bad is the IV fluid shortage, and how bad will it get?

Frontline clinicians will be the first to know. Please share your experiences

In late September, Hurricane Helene’s devastation of western North Carolina resulted in the shutdown of a major Baxter plant that produces more than half of the IV fluids used by U.S. hospitals.

Now, Hurricane Milton is heading toward other important IV fluid manufacturing plants in Central Florida.

A full-blown national shortage has resulted, with Baxter and other IV fluid manufacturers overtly rationing the amount of solutions hospitals can purchase. Most recently, Baxter has been providing 40% of the usual amount of product to customers.

Hospitals are internally restricting the use of IV fluids, and the American Hospital Association called on the Biden administration to declare a national emergency via the FDA.

An emergency declaration would allow hospitals to prepare their own IV solutions in-house, ease Medicare and Medicaid regulations around IV fluid use, and permit more importation of IV fluids from other countries.

Another major producer of IV fluids, B. Braun, is directly in the path of Hurricane Milton. B. Braun reportedly produces almost one-quarter of the U.S. supply of IV fluids. The firm also has a manufacturing plant in California that could ramp up production.

Baxter is predicting a restoration of 90-100% capacity at the NC plant “of certain IV product codes” by the end of the year (they didn’t say which products).

According to the Raleigh News and Observer, a collapsed bridge is preventing heavy equipment from getting to the Baxter plant, and the bridge will take at least weeks to rebuild or repair.

On Wednesday Oct 9, Baxter announced:

“We are increasing the current U.S. allocation levels of our highest demand IV fluids for direct customers from 40% to 60%, and for distributors from 10% to 60% effective [today].

“We are also increasing high concentration dextrose and sterile water for injection allocations and expect to be in a position to make additional increases for certain product codes by early November. Due to the vulnerable patient population they serve, allocations for IV solutions and nutrition products for designated children’s hospitals were increased to 100%.”

Many hospitals have reported they’ve canceled all non-emergency surgeries. Beyond that, there haven’t been public reports of significant impacts to care.

The plant shutdown highlights the increasingly recognized health and national security risks due to supply chain vulnerabilities resulting from market consolidation.

How is the IV fluid shortage affecting you and your community, and how are you responding? (Please refrain from mentioning any specific health system or entity unless you are willing to assume the legal and occupational risk. No patient information or identifiable case details!)

More:

https://www.statnews.com/2024/10/07/hurricane-helene-iv-fluid-shortage-baxter-closure-aha/

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article293559694.html