As you know Matt Harris and I have been working hard to get an Antivenom Bank set up here in the Northeast to help offset:
Potental State Bans on the keeping of Hot Herps by private collectors; One of the main reasons used is it always turns into a desparate race to find the right serum for the snakebite victim.
The high cost of keeping a supply of Antiserum; The serums can cost up in the range of $2,000 per vial and you may need a whole bunch to counter act the bite. For instance: Dr. Sean Bush needed 58 vials of Crofab to save the life of a man that got seriously slamed by a Helleri...That about $165,000 in just antivenom not to mention two weeks in the hospital, one in ICU.
Antivenom is a pain in the butt to get because of the paperwork and permits to get it. Also it's good for about 3 years and then you have to order more. Doctors don't like the idea of using out-of-date A/V. In talking with them, they really don't like to use A/V from the Zoo's or somebodies fridge because they have no control over it's storage. It's suppose to be kept at 4 degrees C.
What the NEAB.org is all about:
The bank is being set up as a NON-Profit Organization, so other avenues of funding are available like: fund raisers, donations, Corporate sponsorships, Government grants...etc..
As soon as we have this paperwork (soon we hope)we will start collecting memberships and ordering serum. One other area we will be involved in is monitary grants to venom researcher to fund their work into venom and their antidotes.
We are working with Dr. Ward Donovan at PinnacleHealth Toxicology Center in Harrisburg, PA. Dr. Donovan is Board certified in Emergency Medicine & Medical Toxicology which makes him very qualified to treat Toxicological Emergencies like snakebite. Dr Donovan has treated many snakebites to date and is excited about working with us.
Dr. Donovans expertese and the logistical support of PinnacleHealth will allow the right A/V get to the victim fast. They have both fixed & rotary wing aircraft at the ready. This week while at the Biology of Rattlesnakes Symposium I met with several Medical Director of simular facilities across the country and we have thier support too. Once we are up in running at PinnacleHealth we will interface and expand the number of banks that stock the serum. If you need serum it can be obtained from the local AZA institution as before the difference is NEAVB will promptly replace the serum used, so the AZA institution is not out of serum nor dollars.
I also Spoke to Al Cruz of Metro-Dade FD (Venom1)at the conference. We will complement their system already in place but serve the North East and other points in an emergency.
One big difference NEAVB has is that its members don't pay for the serum used; it's covered by your membership ($250.00)..sort of like car insurance if you "wreck" your covered for the A/V used.
Contact me or Matt by emailing us at:
info@neavb.org
We will send you back a confidental form to fill out with what kind of Hots you keep, so we can order the correct kinds of serum.
Sincerely,
Al Coritz
coritz@neavb.org
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Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints.
