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One US-made drug treats congenital syphilis, and the country is running short
State health departments are prioritizing scarce doses for pregnant patients as congenital syphilis cases reached nearly 4,000 nationwide in 2024, officials said.
- The United States faces an ongoing shortage of Bicillin L-A, the primary medication to treat syphilis in pregnant women, risking transmission to newborns as congenital syphilis rates skyrocket.
- Last July, Pfizer issued a voluntary recall of Bicillin L-A due to particulate concerns, worsening supply issues because the United States relies on a single manufacturing plant in Michigan for this injectable penicillin.
- Congenital syphilis cases have more than tripled, with nearly 4,000 cases in 2024, the highest in three decades. Indigenous and Black babies suffer disproportionately, a tragedy Dr. Kelly Johnson of the California Prevention Training Center calls "totally preventable."
- Health departments prioritize remaining Bicillin stocks for pregnant patients, while utilizing imported Lentocilin as an alternative. However, substitutes requiring two pills daily for four weeks prove difficult for patients to complete, experts say.
- The FDA indicates supplies will not return to normal until December 2027, exposing vulnerabilities in the drug supply chain as wholesalers have nearly tripled prices for remaining Bicillin inventory.
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources17
Leaning Left15Leaning Right0Center1Last UpdatedBias Distribution94% Left
Bias Distribution
- 94% of the sources lean Left
94% Left
L 94%
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