Tim Friede, a 57-year-old resident of the USA, voluntarily exposed himself to bites from venomous snakes and injected their venom into his body for 17 years and 9 months. His antibodies, produced in response, became the basis for a universal antivenom capable of protecting mice from the venom of 19 snake species. As reported by The New York Times, the combination of antibodies with a neurotoxin-blocking drug showed "extraordinary" results. The WHO notes that up to 137,000 people die annually from snake bites, and 400,000 become disabled. Traditional serums are created using a 19th-century technology: venom from one species is injected into horses or sheep, producing antibodies effective only against 1-2 related species. Researchers plan to test the antibodies on dogs in Australia. However, they do not yet provide full protection against all 19 species and do not work against snakes from other families. "I am really proud that I can do something in life for humanity, change the lives of people who are 8,000 miles away from me, whom I probably will never meet, talk to, or see," — said Friede, who was in critical condition due to his hobby.