“The supply interruption is the result of a complex combination of factors including significant increases in demand, due to an increase in syphilis infection rates as well as competitive shortages,” Pzifer told customers in a June letter, which is available on the FDA’s website.
Bicillin L-A is a long-acting injectable also known as penicillin G benzathine. Another reason Bicillin L-A is in short supply is that it has been prescribed to treat infections including strep throat recently, as amoxicillin has also been hard to obtain, according to the Times.
The company expects to be able to ramp up production of Bicillin L-A in a year and eventually make enough to satisfy demand and create a surplus, the company told the Times
According to the CDC, cases of syphilis have been rising since 2000. In 2021, the CDC said 176,713 cases were reported — a 75 percent increase since 2017.
