US Edition200 Snakebites Later, One Man's Blood May Hold the Key to a Universal Antivenom
- Tim Friede, a Wisconsin-based self-taught herpetologist, injected himself over 700 times with venom over nearly two decades to build immunity starting in the early 2000s.
- Friede began experimenting to protect himself from deadly snake bites while handling venomous snakes, motivated by the global health burden of up to 140,000 snakebite deaths yearly.
- Researchers identified two potent antibodies in Tim Friede’s bloodstream which, together with the medication varespladib, shielded mice from venom exposure across 19 different snake species, indicating promise for a universal antivenom solution.
- Friede described his relentless dedication and effort to develop a treatment that could save people suffering from snakebites thousands of miles away from him.
- Researchers caution against replicating Friede's risky self-experimentation but acknowledge his work may lead to effective, universal treatments that could save thousands of lives worldwide.
17 Articles
17 Articles
By injecting snake venom for 18 years, this man advances science
RECIT - Tim Friede has deliberately been bitten by some of the most poisonous snakes in the world to become immune. Today, his blood has developed an experimental anti-venin capable of neutralizing many of these deadly venoms.
Talking Animals: Veteran science journalist Stephen S. Hall recounts reporting and research that yielded Slither, singular book on snakes
Veteran science journalist Stephen S. Hall–the author of several books, most recently, Slither: How Nature’s Most Maligned Creatures Illuminate Our World—recounts how he approached writing Slither, a strategy seeking to beckon even those amidst the sizable contingent of people who are creeped out by snakes, hate snakes, or are afraid of snakes. And while only time will tell the results he’s elicited, Hall’s a masterful writer–his breezy, conve…
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