Florey and Chain had to gain the support of a government to mass produce penicillin, which was easy due to the impending threat of WWII. The scientists were unable to gain support from the British government or private industries as they were working on other medicine, and Britain was a war torn country with no resources to spare.
Mass Production
Florey contacted the USDA and they agreed to funding the project because they were preparing to enter the war and needed effective medicine. The scientists contacted a research lab in Peoria, called the NRRL and due to plentiful resources, they were able to increase their yield.
The penicillin research team at Peoria to discuss the initation of the penicillin project in June of 1944
Penicillin factory in Peoria in 1944
Due to the perfected production process and the government's support, drug companies were making millions of units of penicillin in preparation for D-Day. The War Production Board of the US took charge of penicillin production and determined ways to ration penicillin because of the limited amount. At first, priority was given to the army and then penicillin was rationed out to the public. Soon enough, penicillin production increased and the world reaped the benefits of the antibiotic.
The US and British armies established the importance of penicillin by making it their first line of defense.
