The digital campaign will be headed by a new mascot, 'Andi Biotic', who is on a 'one-pill' mission to help young adults keep antibiotics working
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has launched a new digital campaign to help keep antibiotics working and tackle the threat of antibiotic resistance.
Antibiotic resistance is a major public health threat. New attitudinal research by UKHSA highlights that almost half of the UK population (42%) are concerned about how the issue affects them. Yet, over half (54%) are either unsure there's anything they can individually do to prevent antibiotics becoming less effective at treating infections (28%) or incorrectly believe there's nothing they can personally do (26%).
Aiming to bust these misconceptions among young adults aged 18-34, the digital campaign will be led by a new comedic mascot character, 'Andi Biotic'. 'Andi' was developed by UKHSA to take the success of the Keep Antibiotics Working Campaign from 2018 to a new generation. This first stage is a pilot which will test the potential to capture people's attention and imagination through digital channels.
Over the course of the 6-week long campaign, 'Andi Biotic' will embark on a mission to answer people's uncertainties about when and how to take antibiotics to help preserve their effectiveness today and for future generations. 'Andi' will come to the rescue in a variety of scenarios to make sure people are taking antibiotics in the right way, including:
- not taking antibiotics for colds and flu, which they don't work for, and this remains one of the biggest misconceptions about taking antibiotics
- only taking antibiotics when you have been prescribed them and taking them as directed by a healthcare professional
- not saving antibiotics for future use
In this self-reported attitudinal survey, a higher proportion of young adults reported taking antibiotics in the previous 12 months compared to those in the general population (45% compared to 33%).
The survey also shows that nearly half (41%) of those in these age groups obtain antibiotics incorrectly, compared to 23% in the general population. Incorrect methods include purchasing antibiotics in a shop that was not a pharmacy, obtaining them while abroad without a prescription from a healthcare professional, over the internet, or using medicines originally prescribed for someone else.
The campaign will launch on UKHSA's social media channels and at participating GP surgeries and pharmacies throughout April and May.
Professor Dame Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of UKHSA, said:
Antibiotic resistance is impacting people every day in this country and is one of the biggest threats to our future health.
But we can all help tackle the problem. Everyone, especially young people, has the power to help change this by following simple steps to take antibiotics correctly and only when they have been prescribed by a healthcare professional.
This isn't just for our own health - it's about helping protect everyone in our communities and future generations.
One young adult patient who suffers from recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) has spoken about the impact on their life when the UTIs became resistant to antibiotics.They said:
The UTI was deeply ingrained trapping me in an endless cycle of recurring infections, resisting one antibiotic after another. It destroyed me and my bladder. Any physical enjoyment in my life, such as dancing and intimacy, was drastically impacted. To keep the UTI under control, I have a strict daily regime, drinking gallons of water, and taking a supplement for days after intimacy. I'm a shell of the person I used to be. I didn't even know what antibiotic resistance was before this. I live in hope for the day a solution that works can be found, so I can dance and live life freely again.
Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Ashley Dalton, said:
Antimicrobial resistance is a significant public health threat which demands action. By empowering the public with knowledge about when and how to take antibiotics, together we can help preserve their effectiveness.
Through our National Action Plan, we are taking the necessary action now to ensure antibiotics keep working for us all in the future.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, National Medical Director for NHS England, said:
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the UK's biggest health threats, with tens of thousands of people developing antibiotic resistance each year.
This makes it harder to treat conditions that were once easily managed and could even send us back to a pre-antibiotic era where routine surgeries like C-sections, hip replacements, and cancer treatments would become risky.
That's why it's crucial young people understand the proper use of antibiotics to help prevent drug-resistant 'superbugs' now and in the future.
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria of any kind are less likely to respond to some treatments, which can cause serious complications, including bloodstream infections, sepsis and hospitalisation. People who get a bacterial infection that is resistant to one or more antibiotics are more likely to die from their infection compared to those who have an antibiotic sensitive infection.
Antibiotic resistance occurs naturally but misuse, including underuse, overuse, and inappropriate use, of antimicrobial medicines is one of the major drivers of drug-resistant infections.
