The global spread of the novel coronavirus has raised fears about U.S. dependence on foreign countries for supplies, especially for medical products and prescription drugs.
10 stories on the outbreak's effect on the healthcare supply chain, as reported by Becker's Hospital Review:
- Massachusetts General prepping for coronavirus with warehouse of emergency supplies
Massachusetts General Hospital has a warehouse full of emergency supplies, including IV fluid, medical gloves and protective gowns, in preparation for emergencies, such as one the novel coronavirus outbreak soon may present. - Amazon, Walmart fighting price-gouging on coronavirus supplies
As sellers have flooded the market with overpriced gear and false medical claims linked to products to fend off the new coronavirus, online retailers are struggling to keep up with removing items that violate their policies. - FDA moves to boost supply of face masks for health professionals
The FDA granted a request from the CDC to allow healthcare personnel to use face masks regulated by another federal agency during the coronavirus outbreak. - Rural hospitals taking drastic steps to get supplies amid coronavirus outbreak
Small rural hospitals are resorting to buying protective face masks from hardware stores and borrowing sterile gowns from dentists' offices as suppliers allocate resources for those directly affected by the coronavirus. - US health systems are running out of protective face masks
As of Feb. 26, U.S. health systems only had about two weeks' worth of protective face masks left. Many of the protective face masks used in the U.S. are manufactured in the Hubei province in China where the coronavirus outbreak began. - Coronavirus not linked to Chinese imports, FDA says
There is no evidence of coronavirus transmission associated with imported goods from China, the FDA said Feb. 24. The agency said it is using import screenings, exams, sampling, import alerts, the previous compliance history of facilities and information from foreign governments to ensure the safety of goods arriving to the U.S. from China. - Demand for protective medical supplies surges amid coronavirus fears, AHA says
Demand for personal protective equipment, including surgical face masks, is 100 times higher than normal, and prices are 20 times higher due to fears surrounding the coronavirus, the American Hospital Association said. - Coronavirus will cost Boston Scientific $10M to $40M in Q1, company says
Boston Scientific expects to lose $10 million to $40 million in sales in the first quarter of 2020 because of the impact of the new coronavirus. Boston Scientific is expecting sales to slow in the first quarter of 2020, but pick back up in the second quarter. The company sold about $500 million medical devices in China last year. - 85% of supply professionals predict coronavirus will interrupt API supply chain
As the coronavirus spreads through China — which produces 13 percent of the active pharmaceutical ingredients used in the U.S. — 85 percent of supply chain professionals expect supply chain interruptions. - Coronavirus fears depleting medical mask supplies
Global supplies of medical masks are dwindling at drugstores and online retail platforms as people race to buy them amid the coronavirus outbreak. U.S. residents reported they have been unable to find medical masks at drugstores or other outlets.