100,000 bottles of IV fluid to arrive in Taiwan next week to address shortage

Taipei, June 7 (CNA) The first batch of 100,000 bottles of intravenous (IV) fluid imported under an emergency scheme to address a domestic shortage will arrive in Taiwan next week, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) said Friday.

TFDA Deputy Director-General Wang Te-yuan (王德原) told CNA Friday that the 100,000 bottles will be distributed upon arrival in Taiwan, as they have already passed inspections.

The TFDA announced the import scheme on May 30 due to the impending shortage caused by the suspension of production at Y F Chemical Corp., Taiwan's largest IV fluid manufacturer.

According to a TFDA statement issued Friday, seven companies have been approved to import IV fluid from overseas under the scheme.

It is estimated that Taiwan will have sufficient IV fluid supply until the end of July as there is currently an inventory of at least 2.6 million bottles of fluid overseas waiting to come to Taiwan, Wang said.

However, he added that as shipping times are difficult to estimate, the TFDA does not know exactly when they will arrive.

It added that it will make an announcement of any arrivals immediately.

In addition, the TFDA said that a "matching mechanism" has been established which allows medical institutions to report when they are unable to procure medication on a platform. The TFDA will then arrange for a specialist to contact medical institutions and coordinate with suppliers.

According to the TFDA, 496 "matches" have been made as of June 6.

Furthermore, a system where medical institutions can regularly report their need for IV fluid has also been set up under the "Medication Supply Monitoring System," the TFDA said.

Y F Chemical Corp., which produces around 70 percent of Taiwan's IV fluid, was ordered by the TFDA to cease operations after May 10 due to its manufacturing license not being renewed after it was found to be in violation of the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) established by the Pharmaceutical Inspection Convention and Co-operation Scheme.

The subsequent shortage of IV fluid has created a potential crisis and could force major hospitals to halt surgeries and stop admitting patients, according to a press release by the Federation of Taiwan Pharmacists Associations on May 18.

Y F Chemical Corp. had been producing large-bag saline for injection at a rate equivalent to 1.96 million bags per month, based on a volume of 500 cc per bag.

It is estimated that stocks of that type of IV fluid will run out around mid-June, resulting in a shortage of 1.1 million bags in June and 1.5 million bags starting in July, the Ministry of Health and Welfare previously said.

The TFDA therefore initiated the import scheme, which was approved by the Pharmaceutical Benefit and Reimbursement Scheme Joint Committee, part of the National Health Insurance Administration, on May 29.