FDA expects IV fluid
shortage to improve in coming weeks, months
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[January 17, 2018] (Reuters)
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
said on Tuesday it expects a shortage of intravenous saline fluids for
hospitals due to damage to key manufacturing facilities in Puerto Rico
to improve over the coming weeks and months.
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FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said that the FDA has approved IV
saline products from more companies, which is expected to boost U.S.
supply. He said the tight supply of saline products had been
exacerbated by increased demand as a result of a worse-than-normal
flu season.
At the same time, Gottlieb said the agency is concerned about a
potential shortage of IV containers as demand for empty IV
containers increases as an alternative to filled bags.
"We understand that, with the shortage of filled bags, hospitals and
other healthcare providers are turning to the repackaging or
compounding of IV saline fluids and utilizing empty IV containers,"
he said. "This is resulting in diminished supplies of these
containers and concerns that supplies of empty bags could tighten
further."
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(Reporting by Toni Clarke in Washington; Editing by Susan Thomas)
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