What’s happening: State Health Commissioner Karen Shelton, MD, issued a clinician’s letter on October 8, 2024, updating providers on the availability of intravenous (IV) solutions in light of the damage to the Baxter manufacturing plant in North Carolina from Hurricane Helene.

• VDH is requesting all health care providers to immediately implement temporary conservation measuresto mitigate the potential impacts of this manufacturing disruption.
• VDH is also asking providers, including long term care facilities, to respond to a short survey to help the agency better understand the impacts throughout the Commonwealth. The surveys are not intended to be a comprehensive report of all IV products but to provide VDH with sufficient information to take to state leadership to provide a true picture of the operational impact throughout the health and medical community in Virginia.

In the clinician letter, Shelton noted that Baxter has announced reduced supply of IV and peritoneal dialysis (PD) solutions due to the damage of its manufacturing plants.

• In letters to its clients, Baxter indicates it has implemented reduced supply allocations on a number of products. The allocation amounts range from 40-50 percent for some of the more common IV solution products.
• Health care providers are expected to receive fewer IV products from Baxter than they are traditionally accustomed to receiving in orders placed based on consumption of these resources. For the most current updates on the product availability, please contact the manufacturer directly.

For context: Baxter’s North Cove manufacturing site, which is one of the largest suppliers of IV fluids, was significantly impacted by Hurricane Helene.

• Storm and flood damage has resulted in the closure of the manufacturing plant that primarily manufactures IV and PD solutions.

Additional resources

• Baxter Hurricane Helene Updates
• Baxter Letter on Dialysis Management and Conservation (October 1, 2024)
• Baxter Impacted Products List (October 1, 2024)
• Small- and Large-Volume Fluid Shortages – Suggestions for Management and Conservation (October 4, 2024)
• Letter to Health Care Leaders and Stakeholders on Impacts of Hurricane Helene from Secretary Becerra (October 9, 2024)