#21 | WHO Issues New Guidance on Novel Snakebite Treatments

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal, we examine new guidance from the World Health Organization on the development of novel treatments for snakebite envenoming, a neglected tropical disease that continues to cause major health impacts worldwide.Snakebites affect an estimated 5.4 million people each year, leading to 83,000 to 138,000 deaths and leaving hundreds of thousands of survivors with permanent disabilities. Many of these cases occur in rural and low-resource settings where access to effective treatment remains limited. To address these challenges, WHO has published the first Target Product Profiles (TPPs) for innovative snakebite therapeutics. These profiles define the minimum and optimal characteristics that new treatments should meet in order to be safe, effective and accessible for populations most at risk. Unlike traditional antivenoms derived from animal plasma, the new guidance focuses on novel approaches such as small-molecule drugs and engineered antibody therapies that could potentially offer safer, more affordable and easier-to-administer treatment options. WHO proposes two key types of future therapeutics:• Hospital-based treatments, potentially used alongside conventional antivenoms• Pre-hospital treatments, designed to stabilize patients immediately after a snakebite and “buy time” until medical care is availableThese innovations could significantly improve survival and reduce long-term disability among snakebite victims, particularly in remote communities where rapid access to hospitals is difficult.The episode explores several key global health issues:• Snakebite envenoming as a neglected tropical disease• Limitations of current antivenom therapies• The role of innovation in developing next-generation treatments• Improving access to treatment in rural and underserved regions• WHO’s global strategy to reduce snakebite deaths and disabilities by 2030The WHO emphasizes that developing safer and more accessible snakebite treatments is essential to address one of the most neglected yet deadly health threats affecting rural populations worldwide.Original WHO source discussed in this episode:https://www.who.int/news/item/27-02-2026-new-who-guidance-on-novel-snakebite-treatments-publishedThe GMJ Podcast accompanies peer-reviewed publications and global health policy discussions published in the Georgian Medical Journal.Journal website:https://gmj.ge/index.php/pub/index#გიორგიფხაკაძე #drpkhakadze #sheniekimi