Doctors Without Borders warns that the world鈥檚 supply of Fav-Afrique, the most effective snakebite treatment in Sub-Saharan Africa, will expire in June 2016, . The anti-venom鈥檚 manufacturer, Sanofi Pasteur, says that it is not cost-effective to continue producing Fav-Afrique and has moved on to producing a rabies treatment.听
听that snakebites are听鈥渙ne of the world鈥檚 most neglected public health emergencies.”听Five million snakebites happen every year, killing an estimated听100,000 people and leaving 400,000 permanently disabled or disfigured. Of those deaths,听30,000 occur in Sub-Saharan Africa, and an estimated 8,000 people in the region require amputations each year.
Fav-Afrique is the best proven antidote for ten different types of deadly snake venom in Sub-Saharan Africa. Alternatives exist, but they are either not as effective听or do not treat听a broad range of snakebites.听
“Most people who get bitten by a snake aren't exactly sure what kind of snake it is that bit them, and so having an anti-venom that works against a variety of different species is really important,鈥 Polly Markandya of Doctors Without Borders told the BBC. “We are worried that without that anti-venom available, people will die unnecessarily.”
Sanofi Pasteur offered to share the anti-venom formula with other companies听and is negotiating with another manufacturer, but Doctors Without Borders doesn鈥檛 expect these talks to culminate in a replacement product for another two years.听