Hurricane Helene will go down in history as one of the most devastating hurricanes ever. I am writing this post nearly a month after the fact, only to have to report that the widespread suffering from Florida’s Big Bend all the way up into western Tennessee is still profound. Lives were lost and property was damaged. But the impacts run far deeper. Consider a resulting saline shortage.
Baxter International supplies most of the saline (IV fluids) bags utilized in the U.S. Its factory in Marion, NC was wiped out by Helene. As a result, their production has been greatly compromised. We are now just beginning to see a shortage of saline and sterile water products in hospitals and clinics.
Full Capacity by the End of the Year
Baxter International says they should be back at full capacity by the end of the year. Meanwhile, the federal government has given temporary approval to saline and sterile water imports from Canada, China, and elsewhere. That is good for hospitals and clinics. But it got me to wonder about IV vitamin therapy clinics.
IV vitamin therapy, also known as hydration therapy in some circles, is one of the hottest wellness trends right now. It is so popular that along just one 15-mile stretch of road near where I live there are half-a-dozen clinics.
Can those clinics still purchase the saline and sterile water bags their business requires? And if not, how much money are they losing by turning away customers? Of course, not being able to avail oneself of IV vitamin therapy pales in comparison to the devastation left behind by Helene, and Milton later on. Yet I still wonder.
The Basics of IV Vitamin Therapy
If you are as curious as I am, how much do you know about IV vitamin therapy? It is based on a fairly simple premise: some of us don’t get enough vitamins and minerals from our daily diets for whatever reason. Undergoing regular sessions provides a much-needed boost that ostensibly improves energy, helps the immune system, and contributes to overall wellbeing.
The clinicians at Lone Star Pain Medicine in Weatherford, TX say that modern IV vitamin therapy dates back several decades when a Baltimore physician developed the first formulation of vitamins and minerals for his hydration therapy. That formula has gone on to be named after John Meyers, MD. It is now known as Meyers’ cocktail.
The ‘cocktail’ designation refers to the fact that no one really knows for sure what was in Meyer’s formulation. He did not leave detailed records behind when he passed away in 1984. Modern practitioners are left to guess. Their formulations generally consist of:
- Vitamin C, B6, and B12
- Vitamin B complex (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin)
- Calcium gluconate
- Magnesium chloride
Regardless of the exact recipe, all the vitamins and minerals are suspended in either a saline solution or sterile water. Thus, a shortage of either material as a result of the hurricanes could leave IV vitamin therapy clinics without the very thing they need to conduct business.
Hang On to the End of the Year
Common sense would seem to dictate that hospitals and traditional health clinics get first crack at a limited saline and sterile water supply. Hospitals are especially vulnerable to the current shortage because they require saline and sterile water for so many lifesaving procedures.
As for IV vitamin therapy clinics, they may have to just hang on until the end of the year. Here is hoping that the shortages can be adequately met sooner. Meanwhile, hurricane ravaged communities will begin rebuilding.
