View Full Version : Interesting report on anti-venom, or lack thereof
The World Is Running Out Of A Critical Snakebite Antidote : Goats and Soda : NPR (http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/09/09/438929296/the-world-is-running-out-of-a-critical-snake-bite-antidote)
We see a little of this in the ED, as far as cost issues go. And there was a (minor) shortage in CroFab awhile back. Interestingly, the coral snake anti-venom is set to expire soon (after FDA has changed that date once already)...after that, the equine based anti-venom is no longer available....unless someone steps up and produces one.
The rough part is that in African, Indian, Indonesian countries, they need anti-venom...the world wide deaths are fairly impressive (and as the article points out, much more than the recent Ebola outbreak)...
EL Ziggy
09-12-15, 12:04 PM
It's sad that so many people have to die from snake bites. Why is the anti-venom so expensive anyway MDT?
Minkness
09-12-15, 12:11 PM
My question is why is it not mass produced yet.....
chairman
09-12-15, 01:45 PM
My question is why is it not mass produced yet.....
That one's actually pretty easy, antivenom is expensive, has an expiration date, and is seldom used. Demand is low because no one wants to stock a costly cure that they're 90% certain they'll just throw away. Low demand causes low supply, higher per unit cost, and in some cases suppliers just dump the product line in favor of medicines they can get reliable income from.
chairman is right....at least in the US, it just isn't used that much (however...the cost of production is minuscule compared to the other crap that gets tossed into the cost, like hospital mark-ups :( )
Mink, it is "mass produced" as much as the patent holder of the drug/process will allow. Again, supply and demand.
As far as the Micrurus anti-venom is concerned, that is used WAAAAAY less than CroFab. No profit involved in it, no reason to figure out a new supply/source.
I think the guys in AZ actually have a species specific anti-venom for the Arizona coral snake. Not sure on this one.
travesty
09-12-15, 05:03 PM
I saw a video on anti-venom production in Australia and towards the end they say that if you are bitten in Australia the anti-venom is free. If only it was that easy everywhere....
sirtalis
09-12-15, 05:21 PM
Well isn't healthcare free in Australia? And most European have free healthcare?
Venomhunter
09-13-15, 01:15 AM
Well isn't healthcare free in Australia? And most European have free healthcare?
Partially true, here in The Netherlands we need to pay for the healthcare.
However, we don't need to pay an insane amount of money to the insurance company per month.
If i should get bitten by a rattler here, i just call the antivenom storage unit and tell them what to mix.
I'll go to the hospital and let them lay the IV, then after i'm out of the hospital the bill gets passed to the insurance company and you never hear from this accident again (only from the hospital to do check ups on you)
nothing is free....somebody somewhere pays for everything somehow. :D
EL Ziggy
09-13-15, 07:29 AM
As with many things greed seems to be a factor. Profits over people.
Venomhunter
09-13-15, 07:58 AM
This happend to bark scorpion antivenom as well, the antivenom was expired and there was no institute in the us producing or planning to produce it. So a doctor from the university of Arizona conducted a research to see if the antivenom from mexico could be approved by the FDA. It's now the official treatment for severe bark scorpion envenomation.
Albert Clark
09-13-15, 11:05 AM
This happend to bark scorpion antivenom as well, the antivenom was expired and there was no institute in the us producing or planning to produce it. So a doctor from the university of Arizona conducted a research to see if the antivenom from mexico could be approved by the FDA. It's now the official treatment for severe bark scorpion envenomation.
Wow! Thanks for that information.
Venomhunter
09-13-15, 12:27 PM
Wow! Thanks for that information.
You are welcome, i hope the same happens to micrurus antivenom.
Or an institute in the US should produce it.. that would be a good solution ;)
Venomhunter
09-13-15, 12:34 PM
nothing is free....somebody somewhere pays for everything somehow. :D
True, there is always money involved! :D
Albert Clark
09-13-15, 12:41 PM
Before retirement, I worked at the Jacobi Hospital. A Regional Snakebite Center , in the Bronx ,NYC. But I don't know how far the research extends there.
Venomhunter
09-13-15, 03:49 PM
Before retirement, I worked at the Jacobi Hospital. A Regional Snakebite Center , in the Bronx ,NYC. But I don't know how far the research extends there.
i don't know either :)
Do you have many species of venomous snakes around NYC?
Albert Clark
09-13-15, 04:47 PM
I think there are three venomous snakes native to N.Y. The eastern rattlesnake is one, Copperheads and Timbers. All residing in upstate N.Y. The timber is considered threatened here.
I think there are three venomous snakes native to N.Y. The eastern rattlesnake is one, Copperheads and Timbers. All residing in upstate N.Y. The timber is considered threatened here.
AC...i'm pretty sure the eastern range is way south of NY. You mean Massasuaga by chance? The Timber and Copperhead are def there.
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