Diseases & Conditions
New medication for urinary tract infections: Will it really help?
Pivmecillinam gives doctors another weapon to fight this challenging infection.
- Reviewed by Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
For the first time in 20 years, doctors will have a new antibiotic to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women. The FDA approved pivmecillinam (Pivya) in April 2024 — an encouraging development, since germs that cause UTIs have become more resistant to existing medications, making the drugs less effective. Here's how pivmecillinam might affect treatment.
What is it?
Pivmecillinam is a type of penicillin taken orally. It's been prescribed in European countries more than 30 million times over the past 40 years as a first-line treatment for "uncomplicated" urinary tract infections (those limited to the bladder).
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About the Author
Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
About the Reviewer
Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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