The shortage of this medication threatens an increase in congenital syphilis cases 0 14

The shortage of penicillin in the United States threatens an increase in cases of congenital syphilis.

The country is experiencing a shortage of the only first-line penicillin-based medication to prevent the transmission of the infection from mother to child, reports News From The States. In recent years, the number of congenital syphilis cases in the country has more than tripled and reached nearly 4,000 in 2024 — the highest level in three decades.

There is only one factory in the U.S. producing injectable penicillin G, operated by Pfizer's subsidiary — King Pharmaceuticals. In 2025, Pfizer recalled some batches of the drug Bicillin L-A due to the discovery of foreign particles. As a result, many medical institutions have completely run out of supplies.

"The U.S. cannot produce penicillin. This is absurd," said the National Coalition of STD Directors, according to RTVI US.

Congenital syphilis can lead to irreversible consequences for infants: bone deformities, hearing and vision loss. Infected mothers also face a sharply increased risk of stillbirth or newborn death.