Supply Chain

Magellan Diagnostics on Sept. 1 expanded its recall of blood lead tests, which was initiated in May after the company identified an ongoing issue with the controls used in the tests.

The U.S. will invest $3 billion in the COVID-19 vaccine supply chain as a part of its efforts to scale up vaccine manufacturing, according to a Sept. 2 White House news briefing.

Baxter International has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire medical equipment maker Hillrom for a total equity value near $10.5 billion.

As COVID-19 cases surge across the U.S., hospitals in hard-hit areas are seeing their supplies of medical-grade oxygen strained. 

The country's supply chain challenges could become even more severe in the wake of Hurricane Ida, which has damaged several Louisiana hospitals and forced some to evacuate patients, The New York Times reported Aug. 31. 

Baxter International is in advanced talks to buy Hillrom for roughly $10 billion, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal. 

Cardinal Health has recalled about 267 million prefilled syringes after finding the plunger may pull back and reintroduce air into the syringe, which could cause serious adverse outcomes. 

Brian Sperber, 44, a Florida distributor of personal protective equipment, has been charged with stealing $12 million that was intended to purchase PPE for hospitals and other healthcare facilities, the U.S. Justice Department said Aug. 26. 

Sixty-eight hospitals in Florida have less than two days of oxygen supplies on hand, as more than 17,000 patients in the state are hospitalized with COVID-19, according to a survey cited by WUSF Public Media, Tampa Bay's NPR station. 

Ten health systems have posted job listings for supply chain expertise in the last week: