Polyvalent Antivenom:
Experts at the Assam Snake Symposium 2025 in Guwahati called for region-specific antivenoms, highlighting the ineffectiveness of the current polyvalent serum in Northeast India.
- Polyvalent Antivenom is alife-saving serum therapy used to neutralize venom from snakebites.
- It Covers multiple snake species with a single antidote.
- Developed by: Indian manufacturers in collaboration with research institutes like Haffkine Institute, Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, and others.
- Traditionally derived from the venom of the “Big Four” snakes.
- Objective:
- Provide a broad-spectrum antidote to reduce fatalities from snakebites.
- Ensure one treatment can be used across most of India.
- Features:
- Neutralizes venom of Indian cobra, common krait, Russell’s viper, and saw-scaled viper.
- Widely available at government and private hospitals.
- Affordable compared to region-specific alternatives.
- Forms the backbone of India’s snakebite treatment strategy.
