If you're in Sydney, Australia, head an hour north to visit the Australian Reptile Park. It's a small zoo that additionally specialises in snakes and spiders that can kill you. It is the sole source of the venom that gets used to make Australia's anti-venoms [1].
The Australian Reptile Park may be related to the cost aspect, in that their program provides a ready supply of the raw materials needed for anti-venom.
Incidentally they collect funnel web spiders for venom production and have a collection network, whereby people can harvest funnel web spiders from their backyards and drop them into collection points around Sydney [2].
Cost is a recognised factor in anti-venoms, and there is ongoing research to reduce their cost [3].
That site left too much to the imagination as to how they collect the spider venom. Or is it from a dissection to collect the entire venom containing organ?
Was also smirking that the snake venom collection the visuals were either of a person wearing no gloves or easily punctured latex.
They antagonise the funnel-web until it begins striking and the venom is dripping from its fangs, and then they use a liquid dropper to suck that venom up. It is wild.
Stats from the video: 1 vial of antivenom requires 20 milkings. Worst case, a treatment requires 10 vials. This is part of the reason antivenom is expensive. Seeing this process, one can appreciate the attraction of a manufactured pill.
Was also smirking that the snake venom collection the visuals were either of a person wearing no gloves or easily punctured latex.