WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) is urging Xavier Becerra, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and administration officials to use their authority to resolve the national shortage of intravenous (IV) solutions caused by the halt in production at a North Carolina IV fluids manufacturing plant damaged by floods in Hurricane Helene.
Klobuchar warned officials that another IV solutions manufacturing plant in Daytona Beach, Florida, could soon become compromised by Hurricane Milton, which would worsen the existing shortage.
“Flooding from Hurricane Helene compromised the safe operations, inventory, raw materials and roadway access at Baxter International’s IV solution plant in Marion, North Carolina,” Klobuchar said. “The plant—the largest manufacturing facility of IV solutions in the country—has been forced to cease production. To address the potentially life-threatening shortage of IV solutions, I urge the Department of Health and Human Services to use all of its available authority to mitigate this devastating situation, which threatens patient care, the work of medical and provider staff and our emergency response readiness. In addition to using your authority to address this shortage as quickly and safely as possible, I urge you to coordinate with the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice to prevent the distribution of counterfeit IV solutions.”
The full text of the letter is available here.
