The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that the resolution of the nationwide shortage of sodium chloride injection 0.9%, the widely used intravenous (IV) saline solution, had been reached. This announcement today represents a notable milestone that the FDA will help support patient care and the availability of medical products across the country.
“The partnerships that have come together to achieve this milestone were remarkable,” said FDA Commissioner Martin A. Makary, M.D. “While the shortage of sodium chloride is now over, there are many types of IV fluids in short supply. The agency is communicating regularly with manufacturers to closely monitor the manufacturing and distribution related to the availability of medical products,” Dr. Makary said at the announcement. Such partnerships were aimed at increasing production volumes as quickly as possible, supporting supply chains, and using regulatory mechanisms to address the critical needs of hospitals.
To overcome the shortage, the FDA temporarily permitted imports of IV solutions, streamlined the manufacturing review process, and extended product shelf life when safe and reasonable. Together with innovations in the industry, this set of measures allowed for the restoration of the country-wide supply.
As a result, sodium chloride 0.9% injection products will be removed from the FDA’s Current Shortages list. It is recommended that hospitals, health systems, and clinics prefer FDA-approved products when possible.
“The partnerships that have come together to achieve this milestone were remarkable,” said FDA Commissioner Martin A. Makary, M.D. “While the shortage of sodium chloride is now over, there are many types of IV fluids in short supply. The agency is communicating regularly with manufacturers to closely monitor the manufacturing and distribution related to the availability of medical products,” Dr. Makary said at the announcement.
The F.D.A. understands that the availability of essential medicines is the bedrock of safe patient care and the backbone of the health care system. Resolving this shortage was a critical priority and hopefully sends a message that all stakeholders are working together to build a better drug and medical supply chain for the United States. FDA remains committed to proactive surveillance and strategic partnerships to mitigate and remove potential disruptions to the supply chain, shortages, or other interruptions to the health and well-being of the public. This includes contingency planning and forecasting potential shortages and many types of disruptions.
References: US Food and Drug Administration. A statement from FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H.: Announcing resolution of the IV saline solutions shortage. Published August 8, 2025. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/statement-fda-commissioner-marty-makary-md-mph-announcing-resolution-iv-saline-solutions-shortage
