医疗供应商们惊讶COVID-19热点地区对
肾脏透析设备和用品需求激增，呼吸道疾病为什么需要透析病毒？
本文摘译自MASSDEVICE 2020年4月20日评论
以下为详文
医疗技术制造商已经开始应对冠状病毒大流行带来的一些意外短缺。
在COVID-19热点地区，医院对肾脏透析设备和用品的需求激增，导致现货短缺，让医疗供应商们大吃一惊，因为大家都知道这是呼吸道疾病病毒啊！
一些患者已经开始遭受肾衰竭和呼吸窘迫的折磨，需要24小时透析来清除血液中的杂质。据美国国家肾脏基金会（National Kidney Foundation）的数据，正常的透析治疗持续大约4小时，每周进行3次。
据公开报道称，正如一些病患不得不使用呼吸机一样，医疗供应商不得不决定哪些COVID-19患者从透析中受益最大，或者提供更短的透析时间来治疗更多的患者。
作为回应，Fresenius公司（纽约证券交易所代码：FMS）和Baxter公司（纽约证券交易所代码：BAX）宣布，他们将提供额外的肾脏透析设备和用品给治疗COVID-19患者的医院。北美Fresenius Medical Care公司周五表示，公司将准备大约150台透析设备以快速部署到医院，并使可用于治疗的消耗品数量增加近一倍。
北美Fresenius Medical Care公司首席执行官Bill Valle在新闻发布会上说：“在这个关键时期，越来越多的住院患者需要肾脏替代治疗，这给全国许多医院的设备、供应、解决方案和护理支持带来了压力。我们致力于支持医院的持续供应，尤其是在受影响最严重的地方，以便患者可以得到他们需要的护理。”
Baxter公司表示，已提高其PrisMax和Prismaflex血液净化系统的产能和产量，除此以外，还有解决方案和消耗品；Mini袋+药物输送系统；Spectrum IQ输液系统和配套的静脉给药装置；静脉给药解决方案；以及在ICU和整个医院使用的可注射药物。
这家总部位于伊利诺伊州迪尔菲尔德的公司表示，所有生产这些产品的Baxter工厂都在最大限度地提高产量，并寻求进一步增加供应的途径。Baxter公司还表示，根据公共卫生报告，它正在输送救生产品到最需要的地方。虽然现有客户将继续获得产品，但该公司表示，将为全球最大的COVID-19患者护理需求的医院，提供额外的库存，并将定期更新这些分配，以反映动态情况。
Baxter公司还表示，公司已经开始在美国和欧洲之间更频繁地输送COVID-19患者所需的设备和产品，正在“积极地”监控增量原材料和零部件的供应情况和购买情况。
Baxter公司首席执行官Jose Almeida在另一份新闻稿中说：“我们的医疗必需品将我们置于这场流行病的最前沿，为了给患者带来有意义的改变，我们的50,000名同事正在迎接挑战。鉴于需求之高，我们要优先把产品送到最需要的地方——医院，这一点至关重要。因为医院被大量涌入的COVID-19危重病人压得喘不过气来了。”
Latest pandemic-related shortages: Dialysis machines & supplies
April 20, 2020 By Nancy Crotti Leave a Comment
Medtech manufacturers have begun responding to some unexpected shortages brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
Demand for kidney dialysis equipment and supplies has jumped in hospitals in COVID-19 hot spots, leading to spot shortages and taking healthcare providers by surprise, as they considered the virus a respiratory disease.
Some patients have begun suffering from kidney failure as well as respiratory distress and need ’round-the-clock dialysis to clean impurities from their blood. A normal dialysis treatment lasts about 4 hours and is done 3 times per week, according to the National Kidney Foundation.
And just as some have had to do with ventilators, healthcare providers have had to decide which COVID-19 patients would benefit the most from dialysis or to provide it for shorter durations to treat more patients, according to published reports.
In response, Fresenius (NYSE:FMS) and Baxter (NYSE:BAX) have announced that they will provide extra kidney dialysis equipment and supplies to hospitals that need them to treat COVID-19 patients. Fresenius Medical Care North America said Friday that it will make about 150 pieces of dialysis equipment ready for rapid deployment to hospitals, and nearly double the volume of consumables available to perform treatments.
Specifically, Fresenius said it would:
Create a pool of its NxStage critical care units already located in hospitals across the U.S. that could be redeployed to other areas of need with 1 week’s notice.
Allocate a pool of NxStage System One cyclers, typically used in homes or skilled nursing units, to provide additional equipment for intensive care units.
Double the company’s tubing set and filter capacity.
Increase by 75% its premixed dialysate fluid capacity with bagged lactate dialysate solution.
“During this critical time, the growing number of hospitalized patients in need of renal replacement therapy has put pressure on both equipment, supplies, solutions, and nursing support in many hospitals across the country,” said Bill Valle, CEO of Fresenius Medical Care North America, in a news release. “We are committed to supporting hospitals with continuous supply, particularly in markets most heavily impacted, so that patients can get the care they need.”
Baxter said it has boosted its capacity and production of its PrisMax and Prismaflex blood purification systems, along with the solutions and consumables that enable them; its Mini-Bag Plus drug delivery system; the Spectrum IQ Infusion System and accompanying IV administration sets; IV solutions; and injectable drugs used in the ICU and across the hospital.
All Baxter plants that manufacture these products are maximizing production levels and looking for ways to further increase supply, according to the Deerfield, Ill.-based company. Baxter also said it is channeling life-saving products where they are needed the most, based on public health reports. While current customers will continue to have access to products, the company said it will dedicate additional inventory to hospitals around the world with the greatest COVID-19 patient care needs and will update those allocations regularly to reflect the dynamic situation.
Baxter also said it has begun shipping more devices and products needed by COVID-19 patients more frequently between the U.S. and Europe. And the company said it is “aggressively” monitoring the availability of and buying incremental raw materials and components.
“Our medically essential products put us on the front lines of this pandemic, and our 50,000 colleagues are rising to the challenge to make a meaningful difference for patients,” said Baxter CEO Jose Almeida in a separate news release. “Given that demand is at extraordinary levels, it is critical that we prioritize getting our products where they are most needed — hospitals that are being overwhelmed by an influx of patients who are critically ill from COVID-19.”
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