Baxter has announced a significant milestone in its recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene, with eight of the 10 manufacturing lines at its North Cove site now restarted. This brings the site to approximately 85% of its pre-hurricane capacity. 

In the healthcare supply chain, "resilience" has become a ubiquitous term. It emerged as a critical focus during the COVID-19 pandemic, when hospitals and health systems struggled to procure personal protective equipment, ventilators and medications. 

Boston Scientific has issued a recall for its POLARx Cryoablation Balloon Catheters after four deaths and seven reported injuries linked to astrio-esophageal fistulas, a severe complication during atrial fibrillation ablation procedures. 

Medical device recalls, whether voluntary or mandated, are crucial for ensuring patient safety. 

The following supply chain executive moves have been shared with or reported by Becker's in the past year. 

The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response has partnered with SLI Medical to ship 41,000 cases of IV fluids to the U.S. to help mitigate an ongoing shortage exacerbated by disruptions at a Baxter plant in North Carolina. 

Acutus Medical will reduce its workforce by 70% as it continues its contract manufacturing agreement with Medtronic. 

Baxter continues to restore manufacturing operations at its North Cove, N.C., site, revealing the production on several key product lines has resumed, according to a Dec. 5 news release from the company.

The healthcare industry is still grappling with supply disruptions, and experts predict these challenges will persist in 2025, according to the American Hospital Association's  2025 Environmental Scan report. 

The FDA announced that IV fluid containers of all sizes have been added to its medical device shortages list, with the shortage expected to persist through March 2025. 

On Dec. 3, the FDA finalized its guidance for AI-enabled medical devices. 

The Alabama Society for Healthcare Materiel Management marked its 45th anniversary during its Fall Conference in Orange Beach, Ala. 

Northwestern Medicine is testing drone deliveries at Delnor Hospital in Geneva, Ill., in collaboration with Valqari. 

The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, an HHS agency, is providing $44 million to bolster the U.S. public health supply chain. 

Baxter has implemented new allocation levels for several U.S. IV product groups, effective Nov. 26, as part of recovery efforts at its North Carolina manufacturing site. 

President-elect Donald Trump's plan to impose tariffs on imported goods is expected to affect the prices of approximately 75% of medical devices marketed in the U.S., according to consulting firm GlobalData's Medsource Database, Medical Device Network reported Nov. 22. 

The FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health announced a pilot program designed to improve the timeliness of communications regarding high-risk medical device recalls. 

Medical device recalls, whether voluntary or mandated, are crucial for ensuring patient safety. 

Baxter announced the release of its first 1-liter IV solutions manufactured post-hurricane, marking a significant step in addressing the ongoing IV shortage. 

The American Medical Manufacturers Association is calling on Congress to quickly reauthorize the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act before the end of the 118th Congressional Session in January 2025.