Irish IV fluid supplies sent to US in the wake of Hurricane Helene
Sarah Slater
Irish IV fluid supplies are being sent to the US as hospitals scramble to deal with a Hurricane Helene-inflicted shortage.
Hurricane Helene disrupted the supply chain for critical medical supplies across the country.
US federal health officials have approved the import of certain IV fluids after floodwaters from the hurricane damaged Baxter International’s IV fluid manufacturing facility in Marion, North Carolina.
The plant supplied around 60 per cent of the IV solution used by American hospitals daily. Baxter has operated out of Ireland for more than 50 years and has five sites across the country.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved temporary imports of IV fluid from Baxter facilities in Ireland, the UK, Canada, and China.
A Baxter spokesperson said the goal is to restart production at the affected plant in phases and return to full allocation of certain IV solution product codes by the end of the year.
“FDA will continue working with Baxter to identify both potential products already in their system and alternative manufacturing sites, including for potential temporary imports,” Health and Human Services secretary Xavier Becerra said.
Elective surgeries in numerous hospitals have had to be cancelled due to the shortage, such as in Mass General Brigham Hospital in Boston.
The hospital, on Sunday, announced it will postpone certain non-emergent, elective procedures due to a nationwide shortage of IV fluids,
The deferrals, which began on Sunday, will continue until at least Wednesday.
The hospital emphasised that only procedures requiring specific types of IV fluids are being affected, and measures are in place to prioritise care for patients with immediate needs.
A hospital spokesperson said: "Due to the unpredictable nature of this situation, we do not know when our supply of IV fluids will improve, but we are closely monitoring and will continuously evaluate to ensure we can return to normal operations as soon as possible."
