Amnesty expansion plan hailed as ‘fantastic move’

An annual initiative which aims to promote responsible use of veterinary medicines is set to be expanded, despite a drop in the number of recorded product returns.

Organisers of the Antibiotic Amnesty campaign said they want to extend the message to more medicine types after items in several other categories were surrendered during the latest campaign.

Details are still being finalised and the RUMA Companion Animal and Equine (CA&E) group, which runs the project, has said it will give more details in the coming months.

But BSAVA president Julian Hoad praised the “fantastic move”, as he warned of an urgent need for the campaign’s expansion.

‘Tipping point’

Dr Hoad said: “If we don’t act soon to stop the environmental damage caused by parasiticides, [it] will far outweigh the damage that was ever caused by parasites.

“We are reaching a big tipping point.”

The expansion plan was outlined after the results of the 2024 programme, released on the first day of the BSAVA Congress in Manchester, revealed a total of 2,413 antibiotic products were returned to participating practices during the 2024 campaign period.

The total was down around 12 per cent on the previous year, but is still almost three times the figure recorded during the initial campaign in 2022.

RUMA CA&E chairperson Gwyn Jones insisted the sector should be “very proud” of the progress that has already been made to increase the volume of medication being disposed of properly.

Evolve campaign

He said: “As we look ahead to 2025 and how best to evolve this campaign, we are doing so from a strong foundation by a profession that cares.”

Project leaders also emphasised the significant growth in the volume of businesses signing up to receive their communications this time and said responses to its accompanying survey also suggested many practices were taking steps to reduce their prescribing levels, and accept unused product returns throughout the year.

However, in addition to parasiticides, products in several other medicine categories including NSAIDs, pain relief, steroids, heart medication, and ear drops were recorded as being returned to participants.

The group’s report also highlighted one instance of human drugs, including antacids and contraceptive tablets, being taken to a veterinary practice.

Safe disposal

Although the exact number of such products was not recorded, the campaign’s report said it had urged practices to ensure owners knew any unused medicines could be returned for safe disposal.

It added: “It is particularly encouraging to see the return of medicines such as parasiticides and hormones in addition to antibiotics.

“This is another positive outcome for the campaign and has ensured that these medicines are also being safely disposed of rather than owners taking matters into their own hands, which could have resulted in them being disposed of in household waste or down the toilet.”

Core message

RUMA CA&E secretary general Steve Howard said the group would monitor ongoing discussions around medicine regulation as the campaign develops.

But, while acknowledging expansion may bring its own challenges, such as the possibility of veterinary practices being left to dispose of products acquired from sources other than themselves, he argued the core message was similar regardless of the category of medicine concerned.

He said: “The medications are out there at the moment. We want to encourage them to be disposed of the right way when they are out there.”