Antibiotic Amnesty secures Zoetis backing

A major animal health company has lent its backing to an annual campaign promoting the appropriate use and disposal of antibiotics.

Organisers of the Veterinary Antibiotic Amnesty have named Zoetis as a part sponsor of the 2024 project, which will run throughout November.

Thousands of medicine products were returned to veterinary practices during the 2023 campaign amid growing awareness of the need to reduce the threat of AMR.

Amplify importance

Steve Howard – secretary general of the RUMA Companion Animal and Equine Alliance, which runs the programme – said: “We are delighted that Zoetis has agreed to part sponsor the Veterinary Antibiotic Amnesty this year.

“Having their support will help further amplify the importance of the campaign and we are looking forward to working together to help encourage even more of the profession to sign up to take part.

“Any amount of returned antibiotics is a win and it means that these medicines can be disposed of safely, protecting the environment and preventing any complications from misuse.”

Almost 2,500 tablets – more than three times the total from 2022 – were returned to practices last year, plus 150 oral antibiotic suspensions, 119 topical preparations containing antibiotics and 11 injections.

‘Therapeutic tool’

Jonny Lambert, Zoetis’ CA veterinary lead, said: “Our vision at Zoetis is a world where veterinary antibiotics are used responsibly in animals and where they maintain their value as a therapeutic tool.

“We are also committed to driving one health collaboration, so for all these reasons, the Veterinary Antibiotic Amnesty aligns brilliantly with our ethos and ongoing one health and antibiotic stewardship work.

“We would encourage practices right across the UK to sign up to take part on the RUMA CA&E website. We will be doing all we can to share the campaign far and wide to raise as much awareness and engagement as possible.”