Penicillin shortage leaves emergency syphilis program failing newborns
A STAT investigation found that the emergency system Pfizer set up to supply injectable penicillin for pregnant patients failed in at least one case, resulting in a preventable case of congenital syphilis. Bicillin L-A, the only treatment approved for syphilis in pregnancy, has been in national shortage since July 2025, and Pfizer is its sole US supplier.
In a Gila County, Arizona case, public health officials submitted an emergency request on March 27 and Pfizer confirmed receipt three days later, but the medication never arrived; by the time officials followed up, the patient had delivered and the window to prevent transmission had closed. Pfizer initially said it could not locate the request form, which county officials confirmed they had submitted.
Congenital syphilis is almost entirely preventable with timely treatment, and US cases have risen sharply in recent years. The episode shows how a single-supplier shortage combined with a slow backup process can defeat a safety net meant for exactly these situations. A coalition of STD program directors had asked Pfizer in February to donate reserve stock to state health departments; the company was still weighing that request in early June.