Healthcare action for a responsible use of antibiotics in food of animal origin (CAREFOOD)
Contact: Erik Ruiz
The aim of the CAREFOOD project is to empower healthcare professionals and focus their communication and advocacy efforts to end farming practices that develop and spread antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The timing of this project importantly aligns with the revision of EU animal welfare legislation.
AMR is the direct cause of 1.27 million deaths per year worldwide and intensive farming contributes to this global health and development threat, which could push up to 28 million people into poverty by 2050. Intensive food production systems frequently rely on antibiotics to uphold unsustainable farming practices that undermine animal health and welfare, develop and spread resistance, and ultimately reduce the efficacy of antibiotic treatments - which also threatens human health.
Antibiotics are the backbone of modern medicine and resistance is a significant threat to the healthcare sector. Dealing with the worst impacts of AMR, healthcare professionals are well placed to advocate for changes in farming practices that can curb the irresponsible use of antibiotics in food systems and help combat AMR.
Project goals
Train European healthcare professionals to advocate behaviour change
We will empower healthcare professionals to advocate the responsible use of antibiotics in EU food production by training them on how to communicate with key stakeholders. They will have the chance to share their experience dealing with AMR with EU and national policymakers in a series of online videos.
Improve animal welfare standards in food production in EU and national policies
We will develop concrete policy recommendations to curb poor animal welfare practices associated with high antibiotic use while highlighting best practice examples from EU Member States to demonstrate that solutions with low or no antibiotic use already exist and can be implemented across the EU.