Global Snake Bite Initiative

This important project is the first major undertaking resulting from the Global Issues in Clinical Toxinology Conference, which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in November 2008.

At this meeting, attended by stakeholders from all continents (except Antarctica), a steering committee was formed to move towards developing practical and sustainable solutions to some of the problems associated with snake bite worldwide. Some of these challenges include improving access to medical care and life-saving antivenoms, providing training for rural health workers and doctors, improving the quality of data on the burden of snake bite, developing partnerships to help snake bite victims with temporary or permanent disabilities, and encouraging governments, public health organizations and donors to recognize the role that snake bite plays in perpetuating poverty in the developing world.

A temporary Steering Committee was formed to coordinate development of a Global Snake Bite Initiative at the Inaugural "Global Issues in Clinical Toxinology" Conference held in Melbourne, Australia in November, 2008. The Committee Members are:

David Williams (Australia) - Acting GSI Coordinator

David Williams is a clinical toxinologist and herpetologist who has specialized in the issue of snake bite, venomous snake systematics and venom research in Papua New Guinea for several years. He is currently a PNG Department of Health/University of PNG affiliated researcher undertaking his PhD on snakes and snakebite in PNG at the Australian Venom Research Unit at the University of Melbourne.
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Professor David A Warrell (United Kingdom)

Now Emeritus Professor of Tropical Medicine, University of Oxford. Formerly physician, teacher, researcher and traveler in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Papua New Guinea. Started the Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Network in 1979. Fascinated by tropical and respiratory diseases, venomous animals, envenoming, plant and chemical poisoning and expedition medicine.

Listen to Professor Warrell speaking about snake bite at the Reptile House in Melbourne Zoo, Australia, in 2008: download.

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Global Snakebite Initiative Secretariat

Mr David Williams (Acting GSI Coordinator)
Australian Venom Research Unit
Department of Pharmacology
University of Melbourne
Parkville, VIC, 3010. Australia

Telephone: +61 3 8344 7753
Facsimile: +61 3 9348 2048

Contacts:

Mr David Williams Click HERE to Email Mr Williams

The Global Snake Bite Initiative is a project endorsed by the International Society on Toxinology (IST). Visit the IST website for more information on the Society and it's activities. Researchers with interests in plant, animal or microbial toxinology are invited to consider the benefits of membership in the IST.