There's a global large plastic growbag shortage, and Medline is looking for a buyer that could value the company at $30 billion.
Here are five supply chain updates for ASCs:
1. Global Health Exchange released its annual list of the 50 best healthcare supply chains in North America on April 14. The 2020 list recognizes hospitals and health systems that demonstrated improved operational performance in supply chain automation.
2. Drugmakers around the world are facing a shortage of large plastic growbags used in part of the COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing process, The Guardian reported. The 2,000-liter bags are where vaccine cells are grown.
3. Medline is exploring a sale that could value the company at as much as $30 billion, The Wall Street Journal reported April 10. The Northfield, Ill.-based supply company has hired Goldman Sachs Group to run the process of finding potential buyers, people familiar with the matter told the publication. There's no guarantee the company will be sold.
4. Thermo Fisher Scientific said April 15 it plans to acquire PPD, a North Carolina-based pharmaceutical testing company. Thermo Fisher's board of directors has approved a definitive agreement to acquire PPD for $17.4 billion plus an assumption of about $3.5 billion of net debt, according to a news release.
5. Here are four updates in the past week on the COVID-19 vaccine.