# Horse blood remains key to making snake venom antivenom 2026-08-07T17:12:14+00:00 | Health & Science | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Snake antivenom, listed by the WHO as an essential medicine, is still manufactured using a process unchanged since 1895: hyperimmunising horses with small, diluted doses of venom. Over weeks, the animal develops antibodies, and plasma is collected via plasmapheresis, a machine that returns red blood cells to the horse. A single horse can yield three to six litres of blood per session, making industrial-scale production possible. Purification removes proteins that could cause reactions in patients, and the final product must pass potency tests. However, the International Animal Health Journal notes that repeated toxin injections and bloodletting can cause ulcers and organ failure in horses, and that no international standards govern the frequency or volume of collection. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: animal welfare, antivenom, horse blood, plasmapheresis, snake venom, WHO Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/horse-blood-remains-key-to-making-snake-venom-antivenom/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/horse-blood-remains-key-to-making-snake-venom-antivenom/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.