Bad Homburg (October 10, 2024) Fresenius Medical Care (FME), the world's leading provider of products and services for individuals with kidney disease, is committed to ensuring no disruption to current or potential Fresenius Kidney Care Home patients receiving peritoneal dialysis. , supporting customers, patients, staff, and clinics. care. FME plans to monitor and conserve supplies, adjust formulations, and utilize other suppliers to alleviate potential shortages due to Hurricane Helen's impact on Baxter International's manufacturing site in western North Carolina. Masu. We are in close contact with other industry leaders and regulators to assess the situation and continually refine our plans to support our peers.
Although FME benefits from a vertically integrated business model that provides dialysis services and product manufacturing, there is a general lack of supply of peritoneal dialysis products (PD) and intravenous fluids across the industry. The company has responded immediately and is working to increase production capacity for PD and IV solutions to generate additional supply. In the short term, this will be achieved by making maximum use of the existing production capacity of our international locations. At the request of the Department of Health and Human Services, FME is further exploring all opportunities to ensure patient needs for both IV fluids and PD products are met during this period of urgent need.
As Hurricane Milton impacts Florida, FME's priority is to ensure the safety of our patients and employees. The company has a disaster response team that coordinates responses and proactively prepares for natural disasters. In addition to closing more than 100 dialysis centers on Wednesday and Thursday, FME mobilized its command center a week ago and began coordinating with local teams, doctors, hospitals, and authorities. FME is working closely with patients to find alternative locations and times for life-sustaining dialysis treatment before and after the storm, including opening a number of centers on Sundays.
As part of the company's natural disaster recovery process and planning, the FME team provided 14,000 gallons of fuel, hundreds of personal generators for employees, generators for unequipped centers, water trucks and other equipment. We are preparing equipment and supplies to ensure patient safety. In the disaster-stricken areas, people continue to receive necessary dialysis treatment even during power outages and water outages.
In addition, FME has teams on hand to go to affected areas immediately after a storm to help patients, staff, and facilities recover.
The company is closely monitoring Hurricane Milton, and FME's care teams across the region are in contact with both in-facility and homebound patients before, during, and after the storm to assess their needs and provide emergency care. We plan to provide guidance.
FME urges patients to stay in touch with their local clinics and, if needed, contact Fresenius Medical Care's 24-hour patient emergency line at (800) 626-1297 for assistance and updates . This line is available even if your local communications service is down.
In the event of a medical emergency, patients should call 911.
