Healthcare providers across the United States are grappling with a critical shortage of intravenous (IV) fluids following the devastating impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which have severely disrupted the medical supply chain.
Mass General Brigham, the largest hospital-based research enterprise in the United States, announced on Friday that it would postpone non-emergent, elective procedures from Sunday through at least Wednesday. The hospital indicated uncertainty about when the supply of IV fluids would improve due to the nationwide shortage.
According to a survey released on Thursday by Premier Inc., a healthcare logistics company, more than 86 percent of healthcare providers nationwide are experiencing shortages of IV fluids. The situation escalated after Hurricane Helene damaged a Baxter IV plant in North Carolina late last month, removing 60 percent of the country’s IV solution supply from circulation for the foreseeable future.
In response to the shortage, hospitals are adopting conservation measures such as encouraging patients to stay hydrated by drinking fluids like Gatorade or Pedialyte when possible. Mass General Brigham has urged oral hydration and only prepares IV fluid bags when healthcare teams are certain they will be needed.
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra stated in a letter dated October 9 to healthcare leaders that the supply may “continue to be constrained” in the coming weeks, and that Hurricane Milton may further disrupt “an already fragile market.”
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Baxter are working to identify alternative IV, dialysis, and nutrition products. The FDA is also expediting reviews of manufacturers’ requests to extend the shelf life of existing products.
However, smaller medical facilities with 25 or fewer beds are particularly affected, with the Premier survey indicating they are more likely to have none of their IV orders filled. There is also acute concern for dialysis patients who rely on IV treatments at home.
The American Hospital Association has urged the Biden administration to take more aggressive action. Their recommendations include invoking the Defense Production Act to prioritize IV solution manufacturing and removing barriers to importing products from foreign suppliers.
As the U.S. healthcare system contends with these challenges, the impact of natural disasters on critical medical supplies highlights the vulnerability of essential services and the need for resilient supply chains.
Reference(s):
U.S. hospitals struggle as storms cut medical products supply chain
cgtn.com
