Latest from Baxter on Nationwide IV Fluid Shortage

December 20, 2024

Three months after suffering extensive hurricane damage, Baxter International announced additional progress to restore production and distribution of essential intravenous (IV) fluid products for hospitals around the U.S.

Following the wake of the storm damage, hospitals have been managing limited supply and allocation of these products. In its latest update, the company announced:

• Production:  The company has restarted eight of 10 manufacturing lines at the site, which represent 85 percent of the site’s total pre-hurricane capacity.
• New and notable:  Baxter this week announced additional allocation increases for several IV product groups to U.S. customers and distributors, effective in phases beginning December 16 and December 30.
  • This includes increased product allocations for specific peritoneal dialysis solutions.
• Timing:  Some of the recently started lines are still ramping up, while those that returned to service earlier are operating at near pre-hurricane levels.
  • The company expects to be producing at pre-hurricane levels across the plant early in the first quarter of 2025.
• Helpful reminders:  Baxter has received FDA authorization to extend the use dates of more than 50 IV and irrigation codes to provide up to an additional 12 months of expiry.
  • There’s a one-to-two-week lag time for product to flow through the full distribution network after allocation changes are implemented.  
• What it means for hospitals:  Full production will translate to “removal of allocations for the related product groups during the first quarter of 2025,” company officials said.

The latest from Baxter is available online.

HAP continues to monitor the ongoing shortage and provide support to members. For questions, contact Christopher Chamberlain, MS, RN, CHEP, vice president, emergency management.