AHA urges action as Hurricane Helene affects IV supply

Photo: Bevan Goldswain/Getty Images

American Hospital Association president and CEO Rick Pollack has sent a letter to President Biden urging immediate action to increase the supply of IV solutions for hospitals and other providers.

The IV solution shortage is due to the closure of a Marion, North Carolina, manufacturing plant that was damaged by Hurricane Helene. 

"Our members are already reporting substantial shortages of these lifesaving and life-supporting products," Pollack wrote. "Patients across America are already feeling this impact, which will only deepen in the coming days and weeks unless much more is done to alleviate the situation and minimize the impact on patient care."

As Baxter works on remediation efforts, it and other suppliers have put their customers on strict ordering allocations and are not accepting new customers, Pollack said in the letter.

"This facility is a critical supplier of intravenous (IV) and peritoneal dialysis solutions, producing approximately 60% – or 1.5 million bags – of the IV solutions used every day in the U.S.," Pollack wrote. "We are aware that Baxter is actively working on remediation efforts and exploring alternative production sites to mitigate the impact of the plant closure."

WHY THIS MATTERS

The AHA is asking the Administration to support hospitals and patients. It has invited the White House and agency experts to join the association in a forum to communicate directly with hospitals and health systems to inform each other in real time on the status of the situation.

The AHA wants the Food and Drug Administration to declare a shortage of sterile IV solutions, which will permit the use of certain flexibilities. This includes allowing hospitals and health systems to prepare sterile IV solutions in their own pharmacies and waive the one-mile rule so that hospitals and health systems can distribute these products among their facilities without a patient-specific order.

The AHA wants a declaration of a national emergency under the National Emergencies Act and/or the Stafford Act for Health. It would like Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to declare a national Public Health Emergency in order to create the circumstances that will allow for waivers of Medicare/Medicaid rules and regulations.

Hospitals also want, among other requests:

• The FDA to identify international manufacturers capable of producing sterile IV solutions and their appropriate containers.
• The FDA to extend the shelf-life of all sterile IV and peritoneal dialysis solutions that are beyond or nearing their expiration date.
• The Defense Production Act to require appropriate manufacturers to prioritize and accept contracts for materials and services necessary to produce sterile IV solutions and their containers.
• The Department of Defense to secure transport to domestic distribution centers for such supplies to be allocated to hospitals and other healthcare providers in need.
• Have the administration appoint a person to serve as the point of contact for matters related to the IV solution shortage.

THE LARGER TREND

Baxter's North Cove manufacturing site was significantly impacted by the rain and storm surge from Hurricane Helene, according to information released October 7 from Baxter.

The storm was unprecedented in Western North Carolina and resulted in water permeating the facility, Baxter said. 

Baxter is bringing the North Cove facility back online. It has resumed shipments to hospitals and dialysis patients after the temporary hold last week. The inventory will be used to support current allocations in the short term. Also, Baxter said several of its global plants are scaling and ramping up production to help meet U.S. needs, with the expectation to receive product from these sources throughout the month of October. 

Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida on September 26 and traveled inland, inundating parts of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. Over 220 people have died, including at least two people at a Tennessee plastics plant who were swept away in floodwaters as they tried to leave the facility. Five were rescued, four people are still missing, and two have been confirmed dead, CNN and the Associated Press reported.

Email the writer: SMorse@himss.org