A drug plant in North Carolina belonging to Pfizer was the victim of the disastrous effects of the recent tornado. However, the incident is unlikely to cause any disastrous impact on drug availability in the country, informs the FDA.
Drug shortage has been a persistent concern in the US healthcare sector. The news of the damage to the factory raised concerns about the worsening of the scenario.
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The warehouse was damaged heavily by the storm that hit the location, but the manufacturing facilities do not appear to have sustained any damage. However, Pfizer has said that it will be a complicated task to rectify damages.
One of the world’s biggest facilities for sterile injectable drugs is located in Rocky Mount. The Pfizer plant produces around 25% of the sterile injectables used in American hospitals.
While the damage is being evaluated, the Pfizer factory remains closed. According to the firm, the warehouse, which houses completed medications, packaging materials, and raw ingredients, sustained majority of the damage.
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“Clearly nature is strong. So, too, is ingenuity and the human spirit. A great deal of work needs to be done, but I assure everyone, most importantly the people of the Rocky Mount community, that we will put Pfizer’s full power behind this effort. We will work in lockstep with our partners and local authorities to restore and rebuild the site and the community,” informs,” Pfizer Chairman and CEO Dr. Albert Bourla.
FDA says, “We do not expect any immediate significant impacts on supply, given the products are currently at hospitals and in the distribution system. Our initial analysis has identified less than 10 drugs for which Pfizer’s North Carolina plant is the sole source for the U.S. market. A number of these are specific formulations for which there should be substitutes or for which many weeks’ worth of stock should be available in Pfizer’s other warehouses.”