Benzathine Penicillin Shortage Update 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently shared an update about the ongoing shortage of Bicillin® L-A (Penicillin G Benzathine Injectable Suspension).  

Since Bicillin® L-A is still in limited supply and recovery has been slow, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is allowing the temporary import of Lentocilin©. The National Network of STD Prevention Training Centers has shared guidance for health care providers on how to use Lentocilin©. 

Providers will need to check with their drug suppliers to see if Lentocillin© is available. It can be ordered through a CostPlus marketplace account or paid directly by credit card. The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) does not currently stock Lentocillin©. 

The CDC still recommends that providers save Bicillin® L-A for pregnant women, infants, and newborns with congenital syphilis. For more details, read VDH's earlier Clinician Letter from July 2025. 

Private providers may have difficulty getting Bicillin® L-A for their patients. Private providers should work with their supplier or Pfizer directly to check availability. Local health departments still have enough supply. 

For patients who are pregnant or allergic to Doxycycline and are unable to visit a local health department for treatment, VDH has started a bicillin delivery program. 

The shortage of Bicillin® L-A is happening at a time when syphilis cases in Virginia are high, especially among women. There were 36 congenital syphilis cases reported to date in 2025, the highest number in over 30 years. 

For the latest updates on shortages related to STI testing and treatment, visit the CDC’s website. 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) national survey of Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) measures maternity care practices and policies and includes questions about infant nutrition. The questions focus on specific parts of hospital maternity care that affect how babies are fed, such as breastfeeding, using formula to feed healthy newborns, and feeding routines. About every 2 years, CDC invites all hospitals with maternity services in the United States and territories to participate. 

How can mPINC data be used? 

Health care professionals and hospital administrators can use mPINC data to improve care practices and policies to better support their maternity patients. CDC sends a private report to every participating hospital showing specific changes they can make to support breastfeeding families. Looking for your hospital’s mPINC report? To request a copy, email mPINC@cdc.gov from your official hospital email address and include your hospital’s name and full address. 

The 2026 mPINC survey will launch in April 2026. When it launches, Abt Global, the contractor implementing the mPINC survey on behalf of CDC, will contact hospital maternity staff to determine eligibility. Learn more about CDC’s mPINC survey:  https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding-data/mpinc/index.html. 

Have questions? Visit the mPINC FAQs webpage or email mPINC@cdc.gov. 

Water-related Healthcare Outbreak Response Tool 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published a new Water-Related Healthcare Outbreak Response Tool which includes key considerations for investigating an outbreak and identifying possible exposures, coordinating with essential partners, and implementing targeted interventions to stop transmission.

This tool and related resources can be found on the CDC water in healthcare facilities website.