Summary
A nationwide IV fluid shortage, caused by Hurricane Helene’s damage to Baxter International’s North Carolina facility, is forcing hospitals to adopt conservation measures that could reshape patient hydration practices.
The facility, which supplies 60% of U.S. IV fluids, has resumed partial production but won’t reach full capacity soon.
Hospitals are rationing supplies, using alternatives like push medications, and re-evaluating hydration protocols to ensure care continuity.
While these strategies could permanently reduce IV fluid use, challenges include increased nurse workloads, patient monitoring risks, and strained resources amid respiratory virus season and year-end surgical demands.
It is never a good idea to centralise essential drug production like this, because Hurricanes are the least of your problems. A single bad faith factor,a accidental contamination, a fire, etc. can all knock out a facility pretty easily.
And guess when a country needs the most iV fluids? Exactly. When it gets to war. Demand doubles then.
Which means the country could easily be fucked by two Russian agents. Just for the sake of capitalism and financial gain.