House Democrats are calling on the administration to try to protect medical supply chains from the 'devastating consequences' the mounting trade war could inflict on patients. Led by Democratic Reps. Doris Matsui (Calif.) and Brad Schneider (Ill.), 26 House Democrats signed a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick warning that 'reckless tariffs' are a threat to already fragile medical supply chains.
United Parcel Service Inc. has been quietly building a healthcare empire to offset stagnating revenue in its core package-delivery business. Specialized logistics services, unlike standard brown-box delivery, have appealing profit margins. A customer who needs injectable medicines shipped overnight in a refrigerated box is willing to pay a hefty premium.
Mass General Brigham is no longer delaying non-emergency procedures due to a shortage of intravenous fluids, but said rationing is continuing. Last week, the state's largest health system deferred approximately 30% of scheduled non-urgent procedures between Oct. 13 and 17. The fluids have been in short supply nationwide because of Hurricane Helene.
Disruptions from Hurricane Helene exacerbated shortages of critical intravenous fluids in the United States, and now the Biden administration has invoked the wartime powers of the Defense Production Act in the latest move to help speed recovery efforts. As the storm swept through western North Carolina last month, it severely affected operations at Baxter International’s North Cove production site, the largest manufacturer of IV fluids and dialysis solutions in the country. After a pause, Baxter resumed distribution of supplies – but with significant restrictions on the amount that could be ordered. Since last week, Baxter has expanded order capacity to up to 60% of typical volume for some of the most in-demand IV fluids. But the strain persists.
Shortages of intravenous fluids, worsened by Hurricane Helene damage at Baxter's Marion, North Carolina, manufacturing plant, are expected to continue for months, although allocations to customers and distributors have increased, HHS says in a letter to hospitals. Since the hurricane triggered flooding at the plant in late September, many hospitals across the country have been delaying non-urgent surgeries and substituting oral electrolyte fluids. Baxter supplies about 60% of IV fluids to hospitals in the United States. In the letter, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, JD, noted current shortages of normal saline IV fluids, normal saline irrigation fluid, sterile water irrigation, and dextrose 5% IV fluids.
A Florida factory that makes IV fluids critical to hospitals nationwide will restart Friday morning after shutting down while Hurricane Milton tore through the state. B. Braun Medical's manufacturing site and distribution center in Daytona Beach were not seriously impacted by the hurricane. No injuries to employees have been reported. The company, with help from the federal government, had moved more than 60 truckloads of IV solutions inventory north of Florida before the storm. They will be returned to the distribution site. The federal Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response helped coordinate trucks and drivers for the temporary move, which involved nearly 1.5 million bags of solution.