Thailand is strengthening its medical supply security after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) registered a domestically produced bivalent Botulinum Antitoxin.

Developed by the Thai Red Cross Society’s Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, in collaboration with other agencies, the antitoxin is used to counter botulinum toxin poisoning caused by consuming improperly preserved foods, including canned bamboo shoots. Previously, Thailand had no domestically available antitoxin for this type of poisoning and relied on costly imports. The domestic production of the antitoxin marks an important step toward strengthening Thailand’s long-term medical security, while significantly reducing treatment costs. The price is expected to fall from around 250,000 baht (approximately 7,637 US dollars) per dose to approximately 25,000 baht (763 US dollars)—a tenfold reduction.

The achievement is expected to reduce import dependency, strengthen preparedness for public health emergencies, and support the country’s ambition to serve as a regional vaccine reserve hub for ASEAN.