When penicillin came to Norway

Penicillin was introduced during World War II. We sought to examine how penicillin was introduced in Norway and the challenges of distribution faced by the government and health service during the German occupation.

We conducted searches in the following collections at the National Archives of Norway: Norwegian Medical Association, Pharmacy Office, Norwegian Directorate of Health in London, Office of the Chief Medical Officer in Washington and the Norwegian Relief Central in Sweden. We also obtained archival material from the Bjørn West Museum and searched the digital collections of the National Library of Norway.

Penicillin was likely first used in Norway in the summer or autumn of 1944. The patient in question sustained osteomyelitis from a landmine injury, but the date, location and outcome of treatment are unknown. After this, penicillin was used sporadically, initially confined to liberated areas of Northern Norway. Norwegian authorities repeatedly requested penicillin from British and American counterparts, reporting a major demand among the population, but the Allies imposed strict conditions. In January 1945, a Norwegian Penicillin Council was established to oversee distribution according to American guidelines. Supplies had to pass through Sweden, where Swedish authorities assumed responsibility for both distribution and use in Norway. It was not until December 1946 that Norway received sufficient supplies of penicillin to meet national demand.

Penicillin was in short supply during the war, as British and American forces prioritised their own military needs. Consequently, Norway and other countries not directly participating in combat had limited access to penicillin.