RUMA CA&E releases Antibiotic Amnesty 2024 results
This year saw practices also drawing attention to the return of other medications.
The Responsible use of Medicines Alliance – Companion Animal and Equine (RUMA CA&E) has shared the statistics from Antibiotic Amnesty 2024, which took place last November.
During a press conference on 20 March 2025, RUMA CA&E revealed that 2,413 antibiotics, including tablets, topicals and injections, had been returned to participating practices during the campaign.
Antibiotic Amnesty 2024 marks the third year of RUMA CA&E’s One Health campaign. It aims to combat the inappropriate use or disposal of antibiotics, which can otherwise contribute to antimicrobial resistance.
RUMA CA&E says that, although 12 per cent fewer antibiotics were returned compared to 2023, it is still a significant total. Statistics showed that 2,148 tablets, 136 topicals, 47 injections and 82 liquids were returned throughout November 2024.
While the campaign is generally focused on the return of antibiotics, this year also saw practices lead discussions on the return of other medications.
Although no formal data was collected, many practices took the opportunity to extend the conversation to other unused veterinary medicines. Among the other medications returned were parasticides and hormones.
There were also reports of human drugs, including antacids and contraceptive pills, being returned during the campaign.
RUMA CA&E describes its survey as a ‘snapshot’ of the campaign, with its survey evaluation being a voluntary process for those who took part. It is considered likely that a greater number of practices did take part in the campaign, since there was a high number of practices which signed up for campaign information.
This year 333 additional practices signed up for information about the Antibiotic Amnesty campaign, bringing the total number of practices receiving campaign information to 650 practices. The volume of traffic to the campaign website also increased by 35 per cent compared to 2023.
Steve Howard, RUMA CA&E secretary general, said: “What is also pleasing to hear is that antimicrobial stewardship is becoming embedded into everyday language and behaviours in the practice environment, with a number of practices attributing the reduced level of returned antibiotics to the fact that less are being prescribed in the first place, plus the ongoing focus to educate owners about the safe use and disposal of animal medicines.
“I would like to thank the profession once again for supporting the Antibiotic Amnesty so enthusiastically.”
Image © Shutterstock
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
