Poison Information Center - Tampa

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What's Being Done

Managing and distributing remaining Coral Snake Antivenin® supply:

• At the request of the FDA, Wyeth (now part of Pfizer, Inc) made a five year supply of antivenin in preparation to allow a transition to another product.
• The Florida Poison Information Center has been conducting a regional antivenom inventory to determine the level of supply.
• The Florida Poison Information Center has established a cooperative working relationship with Pfizer, Inc. to ensure a regional response that protects the potential snake bite victims and maximizes the availability of the Coral Snake Antivenin® in those areas where it is most needed.
• The Florida Poison Information Center has notified regional hospitals of the continued availability of Coral Snake Antivenin®. Pfizer, Inc. has been working with the FDA to obtain extension of expiration on current lots of Coral Snake Antivenin® to extend the availability of the remaining supply.
• The Florida Poison Information Center has reached out to other Poison Centers in the Southeast where coral snakes are found to begin developing a coordinated distribution plan for the remainder of the supply of Coral Snake Antivenin®.

Educating health care providers and health care facility employees:

• The Florida Poison Information Center has been providing on-site education programs regarding this issue throughout its region.
• The Florida Poison Information Center has notified regional hospital emergency departments and pharmacies regarding the continuing availability of Coral Snake Antivenin®.
• The Florida Poison Information Center is providing this webpage as a service to provide needed information regarding the situation.

Outreach to the public:

• The Florida Poison Information Center has provided several media interviews over the last couple of years regarding the discontinuation and diminishing supply.
• The Florida Poison Information Center has posted information on this website that is accessible to the public.

Securing a replacement antivenom:

• Studies have been conducted to determine if antivenoms made in other parts of the world might work for envenomation by North American coral snakes. It has been determined that antivenoms made in Mexico, Costa Rica and Australia are likely to be effective.
• In January 2009, the National Institute of Health’s Office of Rare Diseases held a Coral Snake Antivenom Conference to discuss alternatives for addressing the discontinuation of the Coral Snake Antivenin®.
• In July 2009, the FDA’s Blood Products Advisory Committee Meeting made recommendations to the FDA regarding the need to consider alternative routes to drug approval for a replacement antivenom.
• A study with an alternate antivenin has been proposed by the FL Poison Information Center – Tampa and is under review.