Pfizer takes more steps to manage medicine stock at North Carolina plant

[August 04, 2023]  (Reuters) -Pfizer Inc said on Thursday it will begin making some products available only through its emergency ordering process, as part of steps to manage inventory at its North Carolina facility that was struck by a tornado last month.

The drugmaker said it was taking additional steps out of an abundance of caution as it released a list of 12 unique or specific presentations of nine products with high medical need.

The company's Rocky Mount plant is one of the world's largest factories for sterile injectable medicines. Its products include anesthetics, painkillers and anti-infective medicines for use in hospitals.

Nearly 25% of Pfizer's sterile injectables used in U.S. hospitals are produced there, according to the company's website.

Pfizer's list includes injections for dextrose, sodium chloride and the heart failure medication dobutamine - these can only be ordered via direct shipment from the company or its representatives until further notice.

The tornado that struck the site completely destroyed the warehouse, but production facilities there did not suffer major damage, Pfizer had said earlier.

The roof of a Pfizer facility shows heavy damage after a tornado passed the area in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, U.S. July 19, 2023. ABC Affiliate WTVD via REUTERS/File Photo

Earlier this week, CEO Albert Bourla said the company is still assessing how long it will take to bring the plant back on line.

Pfizer also said hospitals should check the availability of these products with their wholesalers or distributors and look for appropriate therapeutic alternatives before placing emergency orders.

The company said that for all other products manufactured at the plant that were not included in the list and currently available in the distribution chain, customers will continue to receive their orders.

(Reporting by Sriparna Roy and Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai)

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