Baxter bolsters IV supplies with imports to address US shortages in wake of Hurricane Helene

 Baxter International, which was forced by flooding from Hurricane Helene to temporarily halt production at its North Carolina facility, has started importing intravenous fluids from foreign facilities to help alleviate a U.S. shortage of essential medical supplies.

The FDA granted the Illinois-based company temporary permission last week to import the products from its facilities in Canada, China, Ireland and the U.K. Baxter requested additional import authorizations from the regulator for several other of its production sites, the company said in an Oct. 14 press release.

Baxter’s Marion, North Carolina, facility sustained water damage from flooding caused by heavy rains triggered by Helene. The facility produces 60% of the U.S. supply of IV solutions used on a daily basis across the country, according to the American Hospital Association.

The company activated seven plants that are part of its global network in a move to boost inventory, and two of the sites began shipping IV product to the U.S. last week.

“We have activated our global manufacturing network to help support patients and customers in the U.S.,” Baxter said in a Monday release. “We are ramping up production at these sites and will use air and other methods of transportation to get products to the U.S. as quickly as we are able.”

The cleanup at the Marion site continues, and the company brought back more than 1,000 employees last week to help with remediation efforts. The company reaffirmed its timeline to have the facility up and running in phases by the end of the year.

While Helene wrecked havoc, that storm was followed by Hurricane Milton, which cut a swath of destruction across central Florida last week. Milton forced B. Braun—another major IV solutions maker—to temporarily close its IV production facility in Daytona Beach, Florida. The facility sustained no damage and was reopened last Friday.

“The Daytona Beach facility is a key part of our plan to help address the shutdown of Baxter’s IV solutions manufacturing facility in North Carolina,” the company said in an update posted to its website. “In partnership with ASPR (Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response), we are taking immediate steps to increase production of critical IV fluids at our plant in Irvine, California and will resume this plan at Daytona Beach.”

https://www.fiercepharma.com/manufacturing/baxter-bolsters-iv-supplies-imports-address-us-shortages-wake-hurricane-helene