Hurricane Helene triggers dialysis and IV fluid shortage

Aside from the casualties and damages felt by Hurricane Helene across Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina, the disaster has triggered nationwide impacts as its damages compromise the medical supply chain. As the hurricane hit communities across North Carolina, Baxter International's North Cove manufacturing facility in Marion, N.C. - -one of the nation's largest manufacturers of intravenous fluids and peritoneal dialysis solutions -- was also hit.

In its initial press update on the hurricane on Sept. 29, 2024, Baxter revealed that the North Cove facility would be halting operations due to flooding while the company assessed the damage, coordinated plans to bring the plant back and executed strategies to get it up and running.

Although the company states that it took several precautions and implemented a hurricane preparedness plan, rain and storm surges caused a levee breach, which led to flooding inside the site and damage to bridges that offered access to the plant.

According to reporting from Reuters, Baxter International's North Cove plant supplies roughly 60% of IV fluids in the United States, making this facility's closure a significant challenge for hospitals and healthcare providers nationwide.

IV fluids are used in several cases to prevent dehydration. Healthcare faculties often administer them when a patient is severely sick with vomiting or diarrhea, for heat exhaustion or heat stroke cases, to patients being treated for severe injuries or burns and during surgical procedures.

A shortage of these supplies compromises care for a broad range of patients.

Since the facility's closure, many hospitals and healthcare facilities have reported a shortage of fluids. In a survey conducted by Premier Inc., 86% of healthcare providers in the U.S. are experiencing a shortage of IV fluids regardless of facility size or health system affiliation. However, providers with 25 or fewer beds were the most likely to report receiving 0% of their IV fluid orders.

More data from the survey revealed that 88% of providers have received less than half of their requested orders. Additionally, 54% of providers have 10 days or less of IV fluids on hand when they typically have 15-22 days.

These shortages prompted the CDC to issue a health advisory through its Health Alert Network on Oct. 12, 2024. The statement includes strategies to address shortages and conserve fluid supplies.

The CDC suggests assessing inventory, implementing action plans to optimize fluid use, using multidisciplinary approaches to develop conservation and stewardship strategies, and communicating changes to leadership and staff.

On Oct. 17, 2024, Baxter issued an update on its facility, stating that over 2,500 employees are returning to the North Cove facility with a focus on site remediation efforts. So far, the facility has achieved critical restoration milestones, including restored utilities and IT infrastructure. The company also reports that the site is structurally sound.

To combat the shortages triggered by the hurricane, Baxter is working with the FDA to mobilize its global manufacturing network. So far, seven global facilities have been activated, including one site in Canada, Mexico, Spain, Ireland, and the UK and two sites in China.

"The pace of recovery at Baxter's North Cove facility has been very encouraging. Our local team has been tenacious in the face of daunting challenges, as we have advanced from site flooding and inaccessibility to deep cleaning and preparing equipment for restart -- all in less than three weeks. In parallel, we have transported more than 450 truckloads of undamaged finished products off site and to customers and have activated our global manufacturing network in support of our life-sustaining Mission. We will build on this strong progress as we prepare to begin restarting North Cove production in the coming weeks," stated José E. Almeida, chair, president and chief executive officer of Baxter, in the company's recent update.

Veronica Salib has covered news related to the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry since 2022.