Helene flooding causes critical IV, medical solutions plant in North Carolina to suspend production

Relief efforts underway in North Carolina

Thousands of volunteers stand at the ready to help North Carolina's long-term recovery from Hurricane Helene.

MARION, N.C. – One of the largest production facilities of dialysis solutions in the country remains shut down following the impacts from Hurricane Helene with officials monitoring for potential shortages nationwide following the disaster.

Baxter International, an Illinois-based healthcare company, said its facility east of Asheville in western North Carolina suffered significant impacts from Helene, with many roadways and bridges left impassable following the storm.

The company specializes in IV products and dialysis solutions, which make up about 60% of the country’s supplies, according to the American Hospital Association.

A representative for Baxter said due to pre-hurricane planning, products were moved to higher ground, and evacuation plans were implemented to minimize impacts on employees and product stockpiles.

DEATH TOLL RISES TO 220 ONE WEEK AFTER HELENE DECIMATES SOUTHEAST COMMUNITIES

More than 200 people were killed, and billions of dollars worth of damage was done when the Category 4 hurricane made its trek through the Southeast more than a week ago.

A rainstorm that preceded the hurricane set the stage for catastrophic flooding in the western regions of the Tar Heel State, breaking records established in 1916.

Dozens of Flash Flood Emergencies were issued, and rivers such as the Swannanoa and the French Broad set all-time records.

Preliminary damage projections from Moody’s Analytics suggest that the total impact could reach as high as $34 billion in North Carolina and around the Southeast.

"Our hearts and thoughts are with all those affected by Hurricane Helene," José Almeida, president and chief executive officer of Baxter said in a statement. "The safety of our employees, their families, and the communities in which we operate remains our utmost concern, and we are committed to helping ensure reliable supply of products to patients. Remediation efforts are already underway, and we will spare no resource -- human or financial -- to resume production and help ensure patients and providers have the products they need."

Hurricane Helene Satellite Image

(NOAA)

EF-3 TORNADO CAUSES EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO A PFIZER MEDICINE PROCESSING FACILITY IN NORTH CAROLINA

According to HealthCare Ready, there have been no reported shortages associated with the hurricane, and the healthcare company is working with the Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services and others to ensure the supply chain is not interrupted.

More than a year ago, a significant tornado rolled through Rocky Mount, a community in the eastern region of the state, damaging a large Pfizer facility that specialized in sterile injectables.

05:45

See how Helene's survivors are coping with the aftermath of the deadly hurricane

FOX Weather's Robert Ray traveled from hard-hit Florida to North Carolina where residents have described apocalyptic scenes of destruction.

Full production at the facility was reported to have been shut down for months, but according to healthcare industry experts, the country was able to avoid large-scale shortfalls in supplies.

Baxter has not publicly disclosed a timeline for when its North Carolina operations will resume full production levels, but the company has stated that it is working to restore operations as quickly as possible.