Thirty nine public health groups sent a letter to the White House Drug Shortage Task Force urging them to prioritize the current shortage of penicillin G benzathine (Bicillin L-A), the preferred treatment for syphilis, and to work with the manufacturer to ensure an
adequate supply. The only manufacturer of penicillin G benzathine in the US, Pfizer, first reported a manufacturing delay in June and reports the shortage will likely continue through 2024.
The letter expresses concerns about how the shortage may impact 340B and commercial supply differently and asks for help in working with Pfizer to ascertain whether the 340B stock of Bicillin L-A is more severely impacted and if so, how Pfizer intends to alleviate the strain on safety-net providers that rely on the 340B program to access this expensive medication.
The letter expresses skepticism of the company’s explanation that the interruption is due “to an increase in syphilis infection rates as well as competitive shortages.” The letter questions the competency of the company “to forecast obvious infectious disease trends.” According to the CDC, the rate of primary and secondary syphilis has increased almost every year since 2000, increasing 28.6% between 2020 and 2021.[1] After the Pfizer announcement state health departments issued health advisories on the shortage and recommendations for alternative treatment options for syphilis patients.[2]
[1] “Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2021: National Overview of STDs.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/std/statistics/2021/overview.htm. Accessed July 5, 2023.
[2] Examples of health advisories: California, Louisiana, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia,