x
Breaking News
More () »

IV bag faces shortage in U.S. amidst growing demands

Hurricane Maria created a major loss of IV fluids sparking a national shortage in the U.S., according to the FDA.

Hydration fluids are advertised as a quick fix to feel good, but are too many people using them?

Hospitals aren't the only place using saline intravenous fluids. As more people use them in non-emergency situations, there's just not enough available, according to the FDA.

After Hurricane Maria's deadly devastation ravaged Puerto Rico last year, saline IV bags were among the losses.

"One of the companies that's a big producer of IV fluids that we use for medically necessary procedures was in Puerto Rico, so the plant shut down," said sports medicine surgeon Kevin Murphy.

Murphy said the impact of the major supplier reached the medical community quickly.

"There are times where we're trying to get fluids for arthroscopy procedures in the hospital and we're restricted," Murphy said. "There are quotas, you can only get so much of it per order, and then you have to re-order because there's a shortage."

First Coast News has been investigating IV hydration therapy after learning a South Georgia high school team uses the fluids regularly to prepare some of their football players before games. School officials said the therapy keeps players from cramping or dehydrating during the game.

PHOTO: IV bags being used on the high school level to hydrate football players before games.

"We want to preserve IV fluids for situations where they are medically necessary, and this isn't one of them," Murphy said of the pre-game fluids.

On Tuesday, the Thomasville High School football coach Zach Grage said taxpayers are not funding for the IV therapy for players.

"I do think it would be $3 is what I was told [was the cost] with the bag and the needle, but it was donated for us," Grage told the district's school board.

Though the wholesale price of the fluids can be low, last month FDA chief Scott Gottlieb suggested boosting prices to keep the shortage from affecting those in critical need.

"We’ve talked a lot about drugs that some people believe may be priced too high. But it’s also true that there may be critical drugs that may sometimes be priced too low relative to the full cost of reliably producing a predictable and high-quality pharmaceutical product..."

The demand for saline continues to rise as local hydration bars with spa-like offers make getting fluids via veins easier than ever.

But does the hydration boost give a competitive edge?

The World Anti-Doping Program prohibits using IV fluid therapy for Olympic athletes, outside of emergencies.

Certified athletic trainer Jim Mackie with the Jacksonville Sports Medicine Program said limited studies and research on IV hydration in sports point to fluids in a bottle being just as effective as those in a bag.

"There's no real advantage to doing this, no real benefit," Mackie said. "But if you don't properly hydrate, your performance can be diminished."

Before You Leave, Check This Out