Antibiotic Amnesty
Help Keep Antibiotics Working!
Leftover antibiotics can be harmful if they are kept for use another time, shared with others or disposed of unsafely – all of these actions can increase the risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Unsafe disposal can contaminate the environment and increase the spread of resistance genes among bacteria, putting human and animal health at risk, but public awareness of this is low.
Raising awareness of these risks in patients and animal owners is vital, and an Antibiotic Amnesty is a way to do this, while providing people with a simple positive action they can take to protect our One Health.
Community pharmacies and veterinary practices can provide safe disposal routes for leftover antibiotics from convenient locations.