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Antivenom transfers antibodies from another animal

Horses used in production develop antibodies against selected venoms; manufacturers then collect and purify those antibodies for medicines. That transfer is different from asking the patient's own immune system to learn the threat from scratch.

3–5 min

Questions you could explore

  • Why does the choice of venom used in production matter to the final medicine?
  • How do antibodies produced against venom differ from a treatment that repairs damage already caused?

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