Important IV Contrast Shortage Update and Mitigation Strategy
May 20, 2022
Dear Colleagues:
We want to provide you with an update our supply chain challenge around GE Omnipaque, one of the major contrast agents used in many medical procedures, including certain CT scans, vascular studies, trauma procedures and percutaneous coronary intervention procedures (PCI) including those to treat heart attack victims.
Since learning about this situation, we have worked closely with Vizient, GE and others to understand as much as we can about the underlying problems, to develop safe conservation and mitigation strategies across our System and to monitor our supply and usage on a daily basis. Our pharmacy colleagues are working with us to identify methods of extending our current supply. And we are working diligently in conjunction with our supply chain team to identify additional sources of Omnipaque and alternative contrast agents and to obtain additional stock, with the goal of preserving our ability to deliver safe and effective care to our patients consistent with our commitment to high reliability.
GE is working hard to increase production, and the plant that manufactures most of GE Omnipaque, which was closed due to a COVID outbreak, has reopened and is working to get back to full production. Nonetheless, we expect that this shortage will extend throughout the month of June.
While we believe that the situation has stabilized somewhat due to the conservation and mitigation measures we have already adopted, this shortage is far from over. We must continue to exercise caution and to judiciously manage utilization of iodinated contrast so we can maintain a sufficient supply to care for our patients for whom effective alternative agents and studies are not available.
We are also in the process of preparing for a transition to an Allocation of Scarce Resources policy regarding the use of Omnipaque throughout the System should doing so become necessary in the future. Such a policy would involve mandating that contrast agent only be used in instances involving very high risk to the patient associated with delaying the study until after the supply chain issue has been resolved.
Our goal is to preserve sufficient supply to allow us to continue to treat life-threatening conditions with Omnipaque, particularly in situations where no equivalent alternative is available.
We will keep you apprised as further information develops on this national supply chain issue, and please visit our IV Contrast Shortage website for additional information and resources.
Sincerely,
Andrew N. Pollak, MD
Chief Clinical Officer
University of Maryland Medical System
Jon Burns
Chief Administrative Officer
University of Maryland Medical System
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IV Contrast Shortage Update, May 12, 2022
Recently we became aware of a pending critical supply chain challenge related to an outbreak of a COVID variant in China that is affecting hospitals nationwide and around the globe.
One of the major contrast agents used in many medical procedures, GE Omnipaque, is manufactured almost exclusively in one plant outside of Shanghai. This plant was recently closed due to variant COVID outbreak in the region. The plant is now in the process of reopening and expects to be at full capacity by May 16. The supply chain challenges created by the downtime at the facility, however, are not expected to be fully resolved until the end of June, approximately seven weeks from now.
The contrast agent manufactured in the plant is used for a multitude of medical procedures, including certain CT scans, vascular studies, trauma procedures and percutaneous coronary intervention procedures (PCI) to treat heart attack victims.
Due to this shortage, there is an urgent need to reduce the utilization of iodinated contrast so we can maintain a sufficient supply and utilize these contrast agents most effectively.
We anticipate the current available supply of Omnipaque within UMMS is sufficient to last approximately three weeks at current rates of utilization. We have developed contrast conservation recommendations (see attached) and are in the process of disseminating those throughout the System. These activities involve working to conserve our contrast supply while remaining within the standard of care and best practices.
We are also in the process of preparing for a transition to implement an Allocation of Scarce Resources policy regarding the use of Omnipaque throughout the System should doing so become necessary.
Our goal is to preserve sufficient supply to allow us to continue to treat life-threatening conditions with Omnipaque, particularly in situations where no equivalent alternative is available. Simultaneously, our supply chain team is working diligently to identify additional sources of Omnipaque for procurement as well as alternative contrast agents. In addition, our pharmacy colleagues are working with us to identify methods of extending our current supply.
We will keep you apprised as further information develops on this national supply chain issue. We are working closely with our partners at the State and national levels to fully understand and to pursue all avenues to preserve access to care for our patients in Maryland and for patients throughout the country.
Sincerely,
Andrew N. Pollak, MD
Chief Clinical Officer
University of Maryland Medical System
Jon Burns
Chief Administrative Officer
University of Maryland Medical System