The Albanese Labor Government is building Australia's future by investing in an expansion of Australia's onshore manufacturing capability for IV (intravenous) fluids, a medical supply of critical importance for surgical operations and hospital care, among other medical uses.
A $20 million investment will expand Australia's largest and only onshore manufacturer of IV fluids, and deliver many more jobs at the Baxter Healthcare production facility in Western Sydney, helping to secure supply and shore up Australia's sovereign capability of the critical hospital medicine.
Baxter Healthcare will match the investment with $20 million of its own, expanding local IV fluid production by at least 20 million units.
This investment will ensure from 2027, 80 million units are produced each year.
Australia began to see a shortage of IV fluids in early 2023, with the Therapeutic Goods Administration predicting that global supply issues are likely to continue during 2025.
In response to the shortage, the Albanese Government worked with local producers and suppliers to secure supply of over 22 million IV fluid bags and brought together a cross-jurisdictional Response Group that includes all states and territories, private hospital representatives and the primary care sector through the Australian Medical Association.
This $20 million investment in Australia's sovereign capability in IV fluid production is part of a broader program of work to secure supply of this critical hospital medicine, which includes: a clinical review of their use in Australia to ensure the best use of IV fluids, and establishing a panel of suppliers to help reduce any future shortfalls.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
"The Albanese Labor Government is building Australia's future by ensuring that critical medicines and medical supplies are manufactured here in Australia, by Australians.
"This is an extraordinary investment in IV fluid production.
"Our investment will now cover IV demand for Australia and we will no longer be hostage to overseas supply.
"Baxter Healthcare's facility has been an important part of manufacturing in Western Sydney for 50 years, and this investment will help it expand to produce another 20 million IV fluid bags every year.
"It means more jobs, more bags of IV fluid, and less dependence on overseas production."
