From Fortune:

1. U.S. regulators grant temporary permission for importation of penicillin to treat syphilis amid a shortage of Pfizer Inc.’s version of the drug and an increase in cases.

2. The FDA has authorized the importation of penicillin G benzathine made by a French company. Pfizer’s Bicillin L-A has been in short supply since April.

3. Rates of syphilis have increased dramatically in the U.S., leading to hundreds of deaths from the congenital form of the disease in 2022. The shortage of medication to treat this has led to a national task force being established to address the situation.

4. Due to the penicillin shortage, some patients are being recommended doxycyline, an antibiotic therapy that requires weeks of twice-daily pills, raising concerns about patient compliance and potential transmission of the disease.

5. Pfizer has increased production shifts and invited customers facing shortages to contact them directly. The shortage is expected to last through June, and the alternative to Pfizer’s pre-filled syringe requires a provider to mix and inject the medicine.



Read more: FDA allows imports of French syphilis drug alternate during US penicillin shortage