Impact of a community pharmacy led antibiotic amnesty in the Midlands region of England

Abstract

Objectives: Antimicrobial resistance is a recognised threat to human health and may be driven by the unsafe disposal of antibiotics via domestic waste streams, contaminating the environment. A community pharmacy based antibiotic amnesty could address this.

Methods: We evaluated the impact of an antibiotic amnesty promoting the return of unused antibiotics to community pharmacies in the Midlands region of England during World Antibiotic Awareness Week in November 2021.

Results: Two hundred and thirty nine pharmacies participated voluntarily and held amnesty conversations with 7399 people, 369 part used and 126 full packs of antibiotics were returned.

Conclusions: This is an important public health initiative that could be replicated more widely.

Keywords: antibiotics; community pharmacy; drug utilisation; medicines waste; pharmaceutical public health.