Tornado Destroys North Carolina Pfizer Facility (+Video)

The US National Weather Service categorized the tornado as an EF-3, with winds reaching up to 150 miles per hour, inflicting severe damage on the Rocky Mount storage plant on Wednesday.

While experts expressed fears of potential drug shortages due to the damaged plant, Dr. Robert Califf, the commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration, assured on Friday that there wouldn't be any immediate significant impact on the drug supply. He stated that the FDA had taken mitigation measures, including seeking additional sources and asking other manufacturers to prepare for increased production if needed, according to the Daily Mail.

The tornado originated near Nashville, North Carolina, and then swept northeast through Rocky Mount, where it heavily damaged Pfizer's facility. This plant is a major supplier of sterile injectables used in US hospitals, and around 50,000 pallets of medicine were reportedly damaged.

Califf described the situation as dynamic and mentioned that the FDA was in frequent communication with Pfizer and other manufacturers. He emphasized that supply impacts were not expected immediately, given the availability of products currently in hospitals and the distribution system.

All 3,200 Pfizer employees and contractors at the facility were safely evacuated and found shelter before the tornado hit. While 16 people were injured in the affected counties, there were no reports of serious injuries among the plant employees.

Despite the challenges posed by the tornado, Pfizer is working to address the situation. However, experts warn that the damage may lead to long-term shortages while Pfizer either relocates production or rebuilds the facility.