Pfizer warns of potential drug shortages after tornado damages NC plant

A tornado damaged Pfizer's Rocky Mount, NC plant, which produces about 25% of the company's sterile injectables.
The damage affected a warehouse storing finished medicines, putting supplies of 65 drug products at risk.
Shortages are possible for drugs like fentanyl, lidocaine, and morphine that were already scarce before the tornado.
The FDA said there may be localized disruptions but no immediate widespread impacts on supply.
Pfizer placed limits on purchases of affected drugs as it works to assess and manage the situation.