B. Braun announces $1 billion investment in manufacturing to alleviate IV fluid shortages in the U.S
At various points in recent years, there have been nationwide shortages of IV fluids, which health care professionals use to hydrate patients, administer drugs and replace lost blood volume.
On Tuesday, one of the main suppliers of those fluids, B. Braun Medical Inc. of Bethlehem, took a leap out of its usual press-shy shell to make a very public announcement in Washington, D.C., about its plan to alleviate future shortages.
The initiative, called Solutions for Life, is B. Braun’s response to the problem — a reply that comes with a more than $1 billion investment in new and updated manufacturing facilities across the United States that should help ensure a reliable and consistent supply of IV fluids. Part of that ongoing investment includes a major expansion of B. Braun’s IV therapy-device manufacturing operations in Lehigh Valley Industrial Park III in Hanover Township, Lehigh County.
“These are absolutely critical solutions for health care in general, so we are very proud of this investment and, like I said, we see this as the right thing to do," said Maria Angela Karpf, a corporate vice president who oversees medical affairs at B. Braun. "And therefore, we’re definitely talking about it.”
Read more: https://www.mcall.com/business/mc-biz-bbraun-announces-major-iv-fluid-expansion-to-combat-shortage-20190514-alhg36fc2vbwvnvp2e6zgoh53i-story.html
(Allentown Morning Call)
Cross-posted in the Health Group.