The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) announced the arrival of the first flight of Baxter product that was airlifted to the U.S. from international facilities following the temporary grant of regulatory flexibility by the FDA. The first ASPR-coordinated flight landed in Memphis, Tennessee and the next flight will land in Louisville, Kentucky.
This announcement is part of a whole-of-government effort to increase the supply of IV fluids following damage to Baxter’s North Cove facility due to Hurricane Helene, which will include approximately 200 flights through the end of the year – carrying millions of units of product from at least four different international facilities.
“ASPR’s close coordination with Baxter and our federal partners has enabled the movement of IV fluid into the U.S.,” said Assistant Secretary Dawn O’Connell. “ASPR is committed to providing support while the IV fluid supply chain stabilizes following the destruction of Hurricane Helene.”
ASPR has been collaborating with the FDA, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) customs officials, and aviation partners to rapidly bolster domestic supply through the importation of Baxter’s international product – enabling expedited distribution once reaching the U.S., reducing typical customs clearance and distribution times from 5-10 days to less than a day in some cases. The product coming into the United States as part of this effort will be distributed through distribution channels consistent with Baxter’s current projections. Learn more on aspr.hhs.gov.