Penicillin Shortage Hits US: Syphilis Patients, Including Pregnant Women, Children, Are at Risk

Penicillin shortages, specifically Penicillin G-Benzathine shortages, will continue to become health-threatening if supply remains low.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a shortage of an injectable version of penicillin on Wednesday, April 26.

Penicillin G-benzathine, the specific form of penicillin in short supply, is a crucial antibiotic used for treating a variety of bacterial infections such as strep throat and syphilis.

It is the recommended treatment for syphilis, as it can be safely administered to adults, children, and pregnant women.

Penicillin Shortage in the U.S.

According to the FDA, there is a current shortage of penicillin G-benzathine, an antibiotic used for treating bacterial infections, including syphilis and strep throat.

The FDA attributes the shortage to an increase in demand, with Pfizer being the sole supplier of the drug in the U.S.

One reason for the increased demand for penicillin is the shortage of another antibiotic, liquid amoxicillin, which has been in short supply since October of last year.

According to NBC, Dr. Jeremy Cauwels, Chief Physician at Sanford Health, a medical system in South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota, explained that pharmacists in his network have been dealing with a limited supply of penicillin since the winter.

He added that the preferred drug for syphilis treatment is penicillin G-benzathine because it is safe to administer to adults, children, and pregnant women and can also treat the baby if the mother has syphilis.

Pfizer said the rise in syphilis cases may have also contributed to the increased demand for penicillin.

A decrease in the availability of amoxicillin, which is also used to treat strep infections, occurred during a surge of respiratory virus infections in the fall and winter.

During this period, the antibiotic was commonly prescribed for secondary bacterial infections resulting from COVID-19, flu, or respiratory syncytial virus.

 In addition, amoxicillin has been utilized to manage an increase in severe strep cases that date back to the fall season.

This shortage of amoxicillin has compounded the problem of the limited supply of penicillin G-benzathine, leading to a further strain on the availability of essential antibiotics in the US.

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Penicillin G-Benzathine and Other Shortages

As reported by Bloomberg, the US is experiencing the highest rate of syphilis since 1990.

According to data released in 2021, there was a 32% rise in syphilis cases from the previous year, with a total of 176,713 cases reported.

Additionally, there has been an increase in the occurrence of other sexually transmitted infections.

The University of Utah's drug information service, which monitors drug shortages, has been tracking supply constraints for penicillin G-benzathine injection since January.

Pfizer is the only company that sells the drug in the US, and there have been previous supply shortages from 2005 to 2007, and 2016 to 2017.

Drug shortages are a growing concern in the US, with several common and essential medicines, including antibiotics, cancer drugs, and ADHD medications, experiencing supply constraints.

Last month, a congressional committee held a hearing to address the issue, citing a broken market for medicines and a lack of transparency in the supply chain.

Other countries are also facing shortages of different types of penicillin.

According to the Mayo Clinic, penicillin G benzathine injection is an antibiotic medication that can effectively treat a range of bacterial infections, including mild to moderate infections of the upper respiratory tract, pinta, yaws, syphilis, and bejel.

It is also used to prevent certain health conditions such as chorea, rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease, or acute glomerulonephritis. Its mechanism of action involves killing bacteria or stopping their growth.

However, this drug should only be administered by a physician or under their direct supervision to ensure its safe and effective use.

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