U.S. Experiences Critical Liquid for Intravenous Therapy Deficit
Rewritten Article:
The recent hurricanes wreaking havoc on the eastern U.S. have unmasked a ripple effect far beyond the storm-ravaged regions. A critical IV fluid manufacturing plant in North Carolina, closed due to Hurricane Helene, has left hospitals across the nation grappling with severe shortages. Hurricane Milton may further exacerbate this predicament.
IV fluids are a staple in hospital care, administered to patients to combat dehydration, manage electrolyte levels, and distribute drugs intravenously. Over half of the nation's daily IV fluid supply, approximately 1.5 million bags, is churned out by the North Carolina plant owned by Baxter International. The damage inflicted by Hurricane Helene has left this essential lifeline in jeopardy.
The American Hospitals Association (AHA) reported that this closure is already causing chaos amongst hospitals. Many healthcare systems are postponing elective surgeries and non-urgent procedures to conserve their dwindling IV fluid supplies. In some cases, hospitals are resorting to having less critical patients drink sports drinks like Gatorade instead.
On Monday, the AHA petitioned the Biden administration to declare a national emergency and implement measures to mitigate the crisis. AHA president Richard J. Pollack, in a letter to President Biden and other senior officials, stated, "Our members are facing substantial shortages of these vital products. Patients across America are already experiencing this impact, which will only intensify in the coming days and weeks unless decisive action is taken to alleviate the situation and minimize the impact on patient care."
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Hurricane Milton, the latest formidable storm system to strike the U.S., promises to compound the problem. B. Braun Medical, the second-largest manufacturer of IV fluids in the country, has announced the temporary shutdown of two plants in Daytona Beach, Florida, in anticipation of Milton's arrival.
On Wednesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra unveiled a series of actions the federal government plans to implement to address the shortage. These measures include collaborating with Baxter to expedite repairs of their facility, considering extending the use of some IV products past their expiration dates, allowing hospitals to produce their own IV fluids if necessary, and permitting the temporary importation of IV fluids from overseas. Despite these efforts, Becerra warned that the closure of the Baxter plant will likely result in "further constraints for IV fluids."
As of now, Hurricane Helene is estimated to have taken at least 230 lives, while four deaths have been attributed to Milton since it made landfall. This IV fluid crisis exemplifies the far-reaching consequences of these devastating, climate change-induced storms.
- The future of hospitals across the nation is uncertain due to the closure of a critical IV fluid manufacturing facility, which was a result of Hurricane Helene.
- The declaring of a national emergency by the Biden administration is being urged by the American Hospitals Association to alleviate the impending crisis caused by the shortage of IV fluids.
- In an attempt to mitigate the crisis, the federal government has proposed several measures, including expediting repairs of the Baxter facility, extending the use of some IV products, allowing hospitals to produce their own IV fluids, and permitting temporary imports from overseas.
- The estimated impact of the Baxter plant closure is expected to impose further constraints on IV fluid supplies, exacerbated by Hurricane Milton's potential damage to a second major IV fluid manufacturer's facilities.
