Boston-based Mass General Brigham is taking steps to conserve supplies of IV fluids amid a "serious and immediate" shortage, the health system said in an email to staff Oct. 2, which was obtained by The Boston Globe.
"We must immediately act to conserve fluids," the internal email said, according to the Globe. "A Mass General Brigham incident Management Team is monitoring this very dynamic situation and will respond with appropriate measure as this unfolds."
The supply disruption stems from the closure of a Baxter International plant in North Carolina, which was significantly damaged in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The company supplies about 60% of IV solutions used in the U.S. and makes around 1.5 million bags per day.
"We have been informed that due to the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene, we will be receiving a reduced supply of IV fluids from Baxter International as they work to mitigate disruptions in their manufacturing operations," Paul Biddinger, MD, chief preparedness and continuity officer, said in a statement to Becker's Oct. 3. "Having experienced similar challenges in the wake of Hurricane Maria in 2017, we continue to be mindful of how we manage the supply of these medications to ensure minimal impact on our patients. Hospital operations continue as normal and patient care remains unaffected."
Elective procedures are continuing as normal, a spokesperson for the health system told the Globe.
In a Sept. 29 news release, Baxter said it is assessing the extent of the damage and plans to share an estimated timeline for when the North Cove facility will resume production in its upcoming third-quarter earnings report. It also said it is communicating with affected customers on steps it is taking to minimize disruptions.
"These include actively managing inventory and implementing a protective allocation process by product line to help support supply continuity and equitable product distribution," Baxter said.