Nebraska Panhandle News

U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts has called for an increase in domestic manufacturing following reports from Nebraska hospitals and patients facing challenges due to a shortage of sterile solutions. The situation was exacerbated by Hurricane Helene, which significantly damaged Baxter's manufacturing facility in North Carolina. Baxter is responsible for supplying around 60% of the intravenous fluids used in the United States, which were already experiencing shortages prior to the hurricane.

"Nebraska rural hospitals are being forced to cancel surgeries due to IV solution supply-chain issues exasperated by Hurricane Helene’s impact on Baxter facilities in North Carolina," Ricketts stated. He further criticized the current reliance on foreign sources for medical supplies: "While the FDA is taking steps to mitigate shortages with temporary importation sources, we should’ve never reached this crisis level."

Ricketts expressed concerns over previous warnings about product shortages not leading to increased domestic production. "The FDA provided notice on their own website years ago that shortages of these products existed," he said, emphasizing his disapproval of dependency on countries like China for essential medical supplies.

He also criticized the federal administration, stating, "The pandemic was supposed to be the wake-up call that America can’t be reliant on China for our medical supplies. That we’re back in the same situation a few years later is a direct reflection of the Biden-Harris administration’s failures."