Doctors are being compelled to ration penicillin as the incidence of syphilis spikes alongside the “out of control” surge in sexually transmitted infections. According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rise in STIs poses a concerning threat to millions of people at risk of preventable infections. Specifically, syphilis cases have reached their highest level in over seventy years, leading to an unexpected surge in demand for the injection that manufacturers like Pfizer are warning they cannot fulfill, as reported by KFF Health News and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
The ASHP indicated in a statement that there is insufficient supply to meet regular ordering demand. There are two antibiotics used to treat syphilis: the injectable penicillin and an oral medication called doxycycline. Penicillin is also used to treat infections caused by bacteria such as meningitis, pneumonia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.
Unlike the method of taking an antibiotic, which requires sticking to a two-week regimen, the penicillin shot is a one-time course of treatment. However, due to the rise in syphilis cases, doctors are being compelled to ration penicillin. The CDC data reveals that more than 170,000 syphilis cases were reported in 1951. The number had dramatically decreased after the widespread availability of antibiotics. By 1998, annual case numbers had dropped below 40,000, before gradually increasing over the past two decades.
Pfizer has confirmed the ongoing amoxicillin shortage and the increase in syphilis cases, which has resulted in a 70% surge in demand for injectable penicillin. The shortage is so severe that public health agencies have recommended that providers ration the drug. Medical providers have been advised to prioritize pregnant individuals whom they believe have been exposed, as penicillin is the only safe treatment for syphilis considered for them. This disease can be fatal or lead to deformities in babies born to infected mothers.
Dr. Nima Majlesi, director of medical toxicology at Staten Island University Hospital, highlighted two major reasons for the increase in cases. He stated that the decrease in condom use and the “de-emphasis” of the importance of safe sex in public health messages are one reason. Additionally, Majlesi noted that syphilis has become so uncommon over recent decades that it often goes unnoticed, even by doctors, in its early stages.
The disease, also known as “The Great Pretender” due to its symptoms resembling those of other diseases, is transmitted through direct contact with a syphilis sore during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. The painless sores often go untreated. A rash often develops across the body of an infected person four to 10 weeks after the initial infection. Without medical intervention, syphilis can spread to the brain, nervous system, or eyes, potentially causing blindness, deafness, and paralysis.
Rationing penicillin could mean that thousands of Americans are left without treatment for syphilis and other infections.
Author: OpenAI
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