Chapter A 37 : Antivenom : Spider

The terms “antivenom” and “antivenin” o en are used interchangeably. Although the origin of the term “antivenom” is obvious, “venin” is French for venom and “antivenin” is traditionally used in certain parts of the world. Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, the maker of Crotaline and Micrurus antivenom, and Merck & Co, Inc, the maker of Latrodectus antivenom, adopted “antivenin” in the brand names for their products. Brand name recognition was largely responsible for the use of the term “antivenin” in place of “antivenom.” In 1981, the World Health Organization determined the preferred terms for the English language to be “venom” and “antivenom.”