NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

The world is running out of one of the most effective snakebite treatments, putting tens of thousands of lives at risk, warn experts.

Medicins Sans Frontieres says new stocks of Fav-Afrique, which neutralises 10 different snakebites that can occur in Sub-Saharan Africa, are desperately needed.

The last batch will expire in June 2016 and there is no comparable replacement.

Manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur says it has been priced out of the market.

Alternatives are available but MSF says they are not as good.

Fav-Afrique is the only anti-venom that has been proven safe and effective to treat envenoming from different types of snakes across Sub-Saharan Africa, it says.

Sanofi said it will share the anti-venom recipe with others.

The company stopped producing the serum last year and has since switched to making a rabies treatment instead.