Pfizer's Emergency Response: Safeguarding Hospital Drug Supply After Rocky Mount Tornado
In a proactive measure to ensure the availability of crucial hospital medications, Pfizer has placed certain products produced in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, on its emergency ordering list. This strategic move comes in the wake of a recent tornado that struck the company's injectables facility, raising concerns about potential disruptions in supply.
As a precautionary step, Pfizer has identified a list of 12 specific presentations of nine high-need products that are now part of its emergency ordering protocol. These products encompass injections for essential medical requirements such as dextrose, sodium chloride, and the heart failure medication dobutamine. Until further notice, these items can only be ordered directly from Pfizer or its authorized representatives, aiming to manage supply chains effectively during this period of uncertainty.
Hospitals are advised to consult with wholesalers or distributors to assess product availability and explore therapeutic alternatives prior to placing emergency orders, Pfizer emphasized.
Notably, other products manufactured at the Rocky Mount facility that are not included on the emergency ordering list remain accessible within the distribution network, Pfizer confirmed.
In late July, a powerful tornado struck North Carolina, inflicting damage upon Pfizer's Rocky Mount manufacturing site. The facility's warehouse, housing raw materials, packaging supplies, and finished medicines, bore the brunt of the impact. Pfizer highlighted its ongoing efforts to address the situation, including restoring power, evaluating structural integrity, and relocating finished medicines to nearby sites for safekeeping.
The Rocky Mount plant is a pivotal component of the U.S. healthcare landscape, contributing significantly to Pfizer's sterile injectables portfolio. This facility accounts for nearly a quarter of Pfizer's sterile injectables production, encompassing anesthesia, analgesia, therapeutics, anti-infectives, and neuromuscular blockers. Consequently, it plays a key role in delivering approximately 8% of all sterile injectables used within U.S. hospitals.
As Pfizer navigates the aftermath of the tornado, its vigilant actions exemplify a commitment to maintaining a stable supply of vital hospital medications during times of adversity.