IV fluids are the very lifeblood of American healthcare—helping doctors and nurses hydrate their patients, administer drugs, and even replace lost blood volume.
These fluids are fundamental to patient care. But in recent years, our nation’s supplies have been severely depleted, thanks in large part to destructive weather events and severe influenza seasons.
In fact, in the past few years, the United States has seen IV fluid shortages approach crisis levels, forcing healthcare providers and facilities to delay patient treatment or use an alternate technique. The result? A decline in patient care with already thin medical staff resources stretched even thinner. The FDA and other government agencies routinely ask IV fluid manufacturers to assess their ability to increase production capacity to address the shortages.
One company, B. Braun, is doing just that.