Arizona Newborn Diagnosed With Congenital Syphilis After Pfizer Did Not Ship Requested Bicillin L-A by April 7

A woman in Gila County, Arizona, was diagnosed with syphilis while pregnant in late March 2026. Public health officials submitted an emergency request for Bicillin L-A to Pfizer on Friday, March 27, 2026. Pfizer confirmed receipt of the request the following Monday.

As of April 7, 2026, the medication had not arrived. The Arizona patient delivered before receiving Bicillin L-A, and the newborn was diagnosed with congenital syphilis. " The same official confirmed that the Arizona county health department had completed the required medical request form.

On April 7, 2026, a leader at the National Coalition of STD Directors emailed Pfizer asking what could be done to obtain Bicillin L-A for the patient as soon as possible. A Pfizer representative replied the same day, asking whether a medical request form had been submitted and stating that customer service records did not show one.

Bicillin L-A is the only treatment approved in the United States for syphilis during pregnancy.

A national shortage of the drug began in July 2025. Pfizer maintains an emergency request system limited to confirmed congenital syphilis cases and cases at risk of congenital syphilis. In February 2026, the National Coalition of STD Directors asked Pfizer to donate a fraction of its Bicillin L-A reserves to state health departments.

As of early June 2026, Pfizer stated it was still evaluating the donation proposal. Reporter Eric Boodman obtained email chains between Pfizer and health officials and interviewed 10 state health departments, eight local health agencies, six health system pharmacists, former and current CDC officials, infectious disease specialists, OB-GYNs, and representatives of Pfizer and Cost Plus Drugs.