(Reuters) -A shortage of intravenous and injectable saline solutions in the United States has now been resolved, U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner Martin Makary said on Friday.
A shortage of IV fluids, which provide nutrients to the body or replenish fluids lost due to injury or illness, had forced hospitals to curtail elective procedures last year.
The shortage partly stems from Baxter International’s North Carolina plant getting damaged in Hurricane Helene in September.
At that time, the Marion, North Carolina site was producing 60% of the nation’s supply of IV fluids and peritoneal dialysis solutions, amounting to 1.5 million bags daily, according to the American Hospital Association.
Baxter and the FDA did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Germany’s Fresenius and B. Braun Medical had ramped up their production to help mitigate these shortages, while Baxter worked with the FDA to import some intravenous products.
Last week, the company said demand remained subdued, even as supply stabilized. In May, Baxter said inventory levels at its North Carolina facility had been fully restored.
The FDA said it is working closely with manufacturers and will continue to monitor the supply of other IV fluids, which are still in shortage.
Hurricane Helene struck the Florida Gulf Coast in late September, ripping up roads, destroying homes, severing communication across the southeastern U.S., and leaving hundreds unaccounted for and many confirmed dead.
Many hospitals in Florida and Tennessee were forced to evacuate or operate under emergency conditions, while dealing with shortage of resources.
(Reporting by Christy Santhosh and Kamal Choudhury in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber and Leroy Leo)
