Hospitals brace for major IV fluid shortage after Helene shuts down factory

(ZEROHEDGE) – America’s hospitals are bracing for a shortage of IV fluid, as Hurricane Helene’s devastation has forced healthcare company Baxter International — the top producer of IV fluid — to shut down production at a critical North Carolina facility.

“The company is working around the clock in close coordination with local, state and federal officials to assess the extent of the damage and implement a plan to bring the plant back online as quickly as possible to help mitigate supply disruption to patients,” said Baxter in a statement.

Deerfield, IL-based Baxter alerted hospitals to expect its provision of IV fluid to plummet by 40% from typical levels, according to Dr. Paul Biddinger, the chief preparedness and continuity officer at Boston’s Mass General Brigham hospital, who spoke at a Thursday media conference call.