The National Coalition of STD Directors and PrEP4All Urge White House Intervention on Syphilis Drug Shortage
Washington, D.C. - On Monday, a coalition of 39 leading public health groups sent a letter urging the White House Drug Shortage Task Force to prioritize action to end the ongoing shortage of Bicillin L-A. Bicillin L-A is the only approved treatment for syphilis in pregnant women and the preferred treatment for syphilis in adults, infants, and children. Clinics and states have reported being unable to access Bicillin L-A, and Pfizer - the drug's exclusive manufacturer - has reported that they will not resolve the shortage until mid 2024.
"The Bicillin-LA shortage is not just another drug shortage. It is the latest in a long pattern of syphilis treatment disruption that we've seen in America for decades." says Jeremiah Johnson, executive director of PrEP4All. "Following Pfizer's previous failure to ensure uninterrupted supply, we saw an enormous increase in the number of congenital syphilis cases in the US; we need the government to step in and do whatever it takes to make sure that we don't just see ourselves with the same mess 3 or 4 years down the road."
The CDC's most recent data shows a 203% increase in congenital syphilis in the five-year period between 2017 and 2021. Congenital syphilis is completely preventable when a pregnant woman receives an injection of Bicillin L-A. If left untreated with Bicillin L-A, syphilis can cause stillbirth or significant birth defects.
"It's devastating to see the dramatic rise in completely preventable congenital syphilis cases while clinics can't get their hands on the basic antibiotic they need to save lives and prevent profound consequences for newborn babies," says David C. Harvey, executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors. "The government must launch a response to the syphilis epidemic that guarantees clinics can get the Bicillin L-A they need right now and prevents the repeated shortages like this one from ever happening again."
The letter to the White House Drug Task Force is signed by 39 of the nation's leading public health, HIV, and maternal health organizations.
About The National Coalition of STD Directors
The National Coalition of STD Directors is a national public health membership organization representing health department STD directors, their support staff, and community-based partners across 50 states, seven large cities, and eight U.S. territories. Our mission is to advance effective STD prevention programs and services across the country. NCSD does this as the voice of our membership. We provide leadership, build capacity, convene partners, and advocate. Go to ncsddc.org for more information.
About PrEP4All
PrEP4All is spearheading the fight for a National PrEP Program to cover the costs of PrEP for the un- and under-insured, as well as addressing further barriers leading to racial and gender disparities in PrEP utilization. Founded in 2018, PrEP4All has been a leader in activism to address inequitable access to PrEP, as well as access to COVID-19 and monkeypox vaccines and treatment. Our work has been covered by several leading news outlets including NBC News, The Body, NPR, The Washington Post, CNN, The New York Times, Science, and the New England Journal of Medicine. www.PrEP4All.org
About Bicillin
Bicillin is an antibiotic and the only safe and effective treatment for pregnant women with syphilis. Unlike other antibiotics, Bicillin can pass to the fetus during pregnancy, thereby treating syphilis in the fetus, meaning that it is the only drug that fully treats syphilis during pregnancy. Congenital syphilis can cause stillbirth and profound birth defects. In 2021, more than 2800 infants were born with congenital syphilis - an increase of more than 200% in a five-year span.
