Supply Chain

At least 60 million syringes and infusion pumps are in turmoil as the FDA investigates China-made plastic syringes that changed dimensions. 

As the FDA investigates reports of China-made syringes breaking and leaking, the agency is recommending healthcare workers prioritize syringes manufactured in other countries. 

Ronald Silverman, MD, the former chief of plastic surgery at Baltimore-based University of Maryland Medical Center, will become the chief medical officer of Becton Dickinson on Dec. 4. 

The White House is pressing suppliers to meet the demand "with a sense of urgency" after drugmakers underestimated the demand for Beyfortus, the first respiratory syncytial virus drug for children.

Unomedical A/S, a maker of single-use medical devices, is pulling about 130,000 insulin infusion products from the market because it might detach mid-infusion, according to the FDA. 

Novartis recalled two lots of its organ rejection drug Sandimmune because crystallization was discovered in some bottles, the FDA said Nov. 27. 

The Biden administration announced Nov. 27 that it plans to broaden the capabilities of the HHS to allow it to make further investments in domestic production of critical medicines and medical supplies. 

B. Braun Medical is warning customers of an issue with about 10,000 pumps after receiving 51 complaints and reports of one injury and one death. 

Burlington, Mass.-based Tufts Medicine signed a contract with Premier to extend its supply chain partnership over the next 10 years, Premier said in a Nov. 15 news release.  

After months of navigating nationwide shortages of drugs and medical supplies, Robert Califf, MD, the 25th commissioner of the FDA, addressed these issues and outlined the role the agency is taking to address them.