The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday reported a shortage of an injectable form of penicillin, an antibiotic used to treat syphilis and other bacterial infections like strep throat.
The drug joins a growing list of medications facing supply shortages in the U.S. Liquid amoxicillin, another antibiotic used to treat strep, has been in short supply since October, according to the FDA.
The form of penicillin affected, called penicillin G benzathine, is the preferred drug for syphilis, because it can be used in adults, children and pregnant people. It's often administered in outpatient clinics or urgent care settings. Dosages for both children and adults are in short supply, according to the FDA.
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Syphilis cases in the U.S. reached a 70-year high in 2021, the last year for which data is available, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The sexually transmitted infection can result in organ damage or death if left untreated.
The FDA attributed the penicillin shortage to increased demand. Pfizer, the sole supplier of that form of penicillin in the U.S., pointed to the amoxicillin shortage as the main issue, because it prompted doctors to recommend penicillin instead. The rise in syphilis cases most likely further accelerated demand, the company said.
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