Healthy Skepticism Library item: 12159

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Simpson ID, Norris RL.
Snake antivenom product guidelines in India: "the devil is in the details".
Wilderness Environ Med 2007 Fal; 18:(3):163-8
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=PubMed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17896852

Abstract:

Venomous snakebite continues to exact a tremendous toll in human suffering and mortality in India. Contributing to this problem is the fact that all of the current Indian snake antivenom manufacturers include a great deal of misinformation in the package inserts and guidelines that accompany their products. Examples include erroneous recommendations regarding first aid, misleading information regarding the signs and symptoms to be anticipated after Indian snakebite, and misleading and ambiguous recommendations as to initial dosing and repeat dosing of antivenom. In addition, the significant problem of acute adverse reactions to Indian antivenoms is compounded by a lack of appropriate recommendations regarding prevention, diagnosis, and management of such reactions. It is the intent of this article to point out problems with the current Indian antivenom product guidelines and to encourage these manufacturers to produce new literature to accompany their products based on the best available evidence.

Keywords:
Animals Antivenins/therapeutic use* Drug Labeling/standards* First Aid/standards* Guidelines as Topic Humans India Snake Bites/diagnosis Snake Bites/drug therapy* Snake Venoms/antagonists & inhibitors* Snakes