Supply Issues Becton Dickinson BD BACTEC™ Blood Culture Bottles HFL7393, HFL8901, KWL85002 and KWL85003 (ICN 2462)

Change:

• The supplier Becton Dickinson has informed us of a supply issue with its BD BACTEC™ Blood Culture Bottle products.
• The four product codes affected are:
  • HFL7393 – Media Bd Bactec Plus Aerobic F Medium Plastic
  • HFL8901 – Media Bd Bactec lytic 10 anaerobic F Medium Plastic
  • KWL85002 – Media Peds Plus
  • KWL85003 – Media Plus Anaerobic.
• The supply issue is due to supplier manufacturing issues.
• Issues were reported at the end of 2023 due to poor weather impacting the supply of the plastic bottle the reagent is held in. This has meant Becton Dickinson had a break in manufacturing which has impacted their backorder along with increased demand over the winter period.
• Due to this ongoing supply issue these products are now being threshold managed by the supplier Beckton Dickinson, so they are subject to their Protect Demand Management.

Impact:          

• The affected codes are still available to order on intermittent supply basis.
• Unfortunately, there are no alternatives available due to the capital equipment (analysers) in situ within a pathology laboratory.
  • Alternatives would only be suitable if the capital equipment needs replacement. Blood Culture bottles are captive to the capital equipment in place.
  • To consider alternative suppliers’ significant investment will be needed as well as a period of training and quality assurance. Suppliers are reporting a 6 – 8-week lead time for replacement capital.
• See our Downloads ▼ section to access the product listing for further information on the affected product codes.
• The supply issue is anticipated to be resolved by 31 May 2024.
• Becton Dickinson are working with customers to do local stock takes to continually monitor stock levels and ensure accurate allocations and continuous supply.

Next Steps:              

• Customers are advised to log into our website to view the product listing for further information on the affected product codes.
• The continuing supply issue is being monitored in conjunction with the supplier and we will continue to review the stock situation to minimise further disruption and update this ICN with the latest information as it becomes available.
• If you have any further questions, please contact your local NHS Supply Chain Customer Services Advisor.

Please note that due to the clinical nature of these alternative products, we advise you to consult your own clinical experts to ensure suitability for your organisations use of these products.