As IV shortage continues after hurricane, U.S. invokes wartime power to speed recovery

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News

October 15, 2024 / 3:39 PM EDT


The Biden administration says it has invoked the wartime powers of the Defense Production Act to speed rebuilding of a major American factory of intravenous fluids that was wrecked by Hurricane Helene last month. Damage to the plant in North Carolina has worsened a nationwide shortage of IV fluids, and hospitals say they are still postponing some surgeries and other procedures as a result.

Some 60% of the nation's IV supplies had relied on production from the plant, run by medical supplier Baxter, before it was damaged by the storm.

"Ensuring people have medical supplies they need is a top priority of the Administration. It's exactly why we are working closely with Baxter to support cleanup and restoration of the facility, including invoking the Defense Production Act to help production resume as quickly as possible," an official with the Department of Health and Human Services told CBS News on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the federal Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response said the federal government had wielded the act's authorities to push Baxter to the front of the line for a contractor needed for construction in the plant. ASPR officials are now looking into other ways that the powers might be able to accelerate rebuilding or help other domestic manufacturers ramp up.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iv-shortage-hurricane-defense-production-act/

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Link to HHS FACT SHEET - Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Takes Action to Ensure Americans Can Access Medical Supplies Following Hurricanes Helene and Milton

[arlyellowdog]

1. I had that when I was taking chemotherapy

The nurses told me the IVs were made in Haiti, I think. I got some other devise that took longer to drain. With all this America first crap, I wish people know how dependent we are on each other.

[dflprincess]

4. My nephew was supposed to start chemo last week

and had it postponed because of this shortage. It was not caught early (though there is room for hope) so this delay has really added to his stress. He just wants to feel like something is being done. Hopefully it won't get cancelled again this week.

[eppur_se_muova]

7. Haiti ?? Seems a bit unlikely. Baxter has long had a major investment in Puerto Rico.

A much more stable gov't, obviously, and big tax breaks for pharma and other corps that invest in the Territory.

They were knocked out of production by Hurricane Maria, but got back into production mode within days. They had hurricane preparedness plans in place in PR, including backup Diesel generators. Unlikely they had as extensive preparations in NC, unfortunately. Nobody really expected a hurricane to hit the area so hard.

[msongs]

2. moral of this story - spread your resources nt

[Rebl2]

3. Just

what I was thinking. I would think that something like this should be manufactured in several parts of the country for this very reason—if one manufacturer goes down, another can pick up the slack.

[PhylliPretzel]

6. One reason

the IV bags are made at the Baxter plant in western North Carolina is that their water source meets the standard of purity needed for production. I hope the hurricane hasn't damaged that, too.

[Hekate]

5. Exactly this

[riversedge]

8. Glad to see this.

[mpcamb]

9. Glad it's coming from Biden- who knows HOW to govern.