Baxter Restarts Shipping IV Products As Hospitals Cope With Shortage
The company is leaning on its global plants to help meet production demands after its Helene-damaged facility in North Carolina temporarily shut down. Meanwhile, hospitals, health care facilities, and workers in Florida prepare for Hurricane Milton's direct hit.
Becker's Hospital Review:
Baxter Resumes Some IV Shipments: 5 Updates
Baxter on Oct. 8 said it has resumed shipments of IV products to hospitals and dialysis patients after a temporary week-long hold and is inspecting finished goods to support current allocations. Baxter also said several of the manufacturer's global plants are ramping production to meet U.S. needs and expect to receive product from the sources throughout October. As hospitals across the U.S. confront an IV fluid shortage following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, there have been new reports of supply disruptions. (Murphy, 10/8)
Reuters:
Fresenius Looking To Boost Output After Hurricane Damage At Rival Baxter
Germany's Fresenius (FREG.DE) said it was checking options to speed up the start of new production lines of medical equipment at a North Carolina facility to help mitigate potential shortages from hurricane damage to rival Baxter's (BAX.N) site in the same state. "We are working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Drug Shortage Staff, which is actively engaged with Baxter and other manufacturers" to assess whether and by how much capacity has to be increased, Fresenius said in a statement. (10/9)
The Washington Post:
Florida Health-Care Workers Exhausted As Hurricane Milton Approaches
The storm shutters are up at Stephen Johnson’s house near the water in North Fort Myers, Fla. He has extra food and water for his 65-year-old mother and their two dogs and two cats. But Jones won’t be home when Hurricane Milton is expected to thunder ashore this week along the Gulf Coast. Instead, the paramedic — like thousands of health-care workers across Florida — intends to ride out the storm at work, then jump into action when the winds die down, the waters recede and people seek medical assistance. (Ovalle and Malhi, 10/8)
AP:
Hospitals, Health Care Facilities In Milton's Path Brace For The Worst
Hospitals and other health care facilities on Florida’s Gulf Coast — still reeling from Hurricane Helene — are now revving up for Hurricane Milton. ... According to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ website, 10 hospitals have reported evacuations as of Tuesday afternoon. Three hundred health care facilities have evacuated as of this morning, the most many of the staff working there could remember, said Florida Agency for Health Care Administration deputy secretary Kim Smoak. That count included 63 nursing homes and 169 assisted living facilities. (Bose and Shastri, 10/9)
