The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to inform healthcare providers, laboratory professionals, healthcare facility administrators, and state, tribal, local, and territorial health departments of a critical shortage of Becton Dickinson (BD) BACTECTM blood culture media bottles. This shortage has the potential to disrupt patient care by leading to delays in diagnosis, misdiagnosis, or other challenges in the clinical management of patients with certain infectious diseases. Healthcare providers, laboratory professionals, healthcare facility administrators, and state, tribal, local, and territorial health departments affected by this shortage should immediately begin to assess their situations and develop plans and options to mitigate the potential impact of the shortage on patient care.
