The most commonly used antibiotic treatment for syphilis is in short supply in the United States as infections with the bacteria rise, and more than thirty major public health groups are calling on the White House to intervene.
The National Coalition of Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Directors and 38 public health groups sent a letter Monday to members of the White House Drug Shortage Task Force, detailing how clinics are doing. experiencing problems ordering syphilis medicine.
Bicillin, a long-acting injectable form of the antibiotic penicillin, is used to treat syphilis. Those who were able to place orders are only receiving partially fulfilled or delayed orders.
The letter calls on the White House working group to make the bicillin shortage a priority and work with pharmaceutical company Pfizer to ensure adequate supply.
“Bicillin LA continues to be the preferred treatment for primary and secondary syphilis in adults, infants, and children, and the only approved treatment for syphilis in pregnant women,” according to the letter.
“As the only manufacturer of benzathine penicillin G in the United States, Pfizer’s inability to supply adequate quantities of Bicillin LA has left the Food and Drug Administration [órgão equivalente à Anvisa nos EUA]the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and many local health departments and states struggling to adequately ration products,” says the letter, signed by organizations involved in public health issues.
“Affected communities and key stakeholders need to know the exact causes of the current shortage, including how Pfizer plans to address this situation and prevent it from happening again. Investments in shortage prevention efforts must be prioritized and we hope that the company is already making progress in resolving the Bicillin LA shortage sooner than indicated. But we need the support of the Drug Shortage Task Force to ensure accountability.”
The National Coalition of STI Directors confirmed to CNN on Tuesday that it has not received a response from the White House or the task force.
A White House spokesperson said in a statement that the administration “remains focused on strengthening the resilience of critical supply chains, including those for medical products such as pharmaceuticals.” “The president [Joe] Biden issued five executive orders to catalyze government-wide action toward these goals.”
“This work to strengthen pharmaceutical supply chains is a continuation of the work that began on day one of President Biden’s administration to ensure Americans can access the medicines they need, when they need them.”
Pfizer said in an email that it is in constant communication with the CDC and FDA about its supply of bicillin and has increased its production by about 30% this year, with the goal of doubling production by the end of next year. . According to the company, this increase will still take some time to be felt in the market.
The United States faces a rise in syphilis cases. From 2017 to 2021, reported cases increased by about 74%, and congenital syphilis (when a mother passes the infection to her baby during pregnancy) increased by more than 203%, according to CDC data.
In 2021, cases of congenital syphilis were reported in almost every state and reached the highest level in more than 27 years.
“It is devastating to see the dramatic increase in cases of completely preventable congenital syphilis while clinics are unable to obtain the basic antibiotics they need to save lives and prevent profound consequences for newborns,” said David C. Harvey, executive director of National Coalition of Directors for STI issues.
“The government must launch a response to the syphilis epidemic that will ensure clinics can get the Bicillin LA they need right now and prevent repeated shortages like this from happening again.”
Pfizer acknowledged limited supplies of bicillin in June and estimated the issue might not be resolved until 2024.
The company sent a letter to doctors this month, stating that the “supply disruption” affecting bicillin “is the result of a complex combination of factors, including significant increases in demand” due to a rise in the number of syphilis cases. . To meet this increase in demand, Pfizer has prioritized production capacity.”
In the months following this announcement, many state health departments, including those in California, Louisiana, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia, issued health warnings about shortages and recommendations about alternative treatment options for syphilis patients.
