Sign Up

US Hospitals Face Critical IV Fluid Shortage After Baxter Facility Shuts Down Due To Hurricane Helene

The United States is facing a significant shortage of intravenous (IV) fluids, including saline and dextrose solutions, exacerbated by damage to Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) plants in North Carolina due to Hurricane Helene.

These essential fluids, already in limited supply before the hurricane, are critical for various medical treatments, such as hydration, wound cleaning, and dialysis.

The closure of Baxter’s plant, which produces about 60% of the country’s IV fluids, has intensified the scarcity, leaving hospitals struggling to maintain adequate supplies.

An NBC report noted that years before the hurricane, the U.S. was already experiencing shortages of IV fluids, according to the FDA.

Saline solution has been in short supply since 2018, sterile water since 2021, and dextrose solution since early 2022.

The hurricane worsened the situation, adding lactated Ringer’s solution and peritoneal dialysis fluids to the list of shortages.

This shortage ...