The Earth Doesn’t Take Medicine

“The Earth Doesn’t Take Medicine” is a campaign organized by V+O Communication Bulgaria for the pharmaceutical company Boiron and the retail chain Kaufland Bulgaria. Its goal is to raise awareness about the improper disposal of medicines as a contributing factor to antibiotic resistance. Discarded medicines often end up in household waste, contaminating soil and water. Through food and water sources, antibiotic residues can enter the human body, potentially leading to antimicrobial resistance. According to WHO, this caused 5 million deaths in 2019 alone. In partnership with the Ministry of Health was organized massive campaign which aimed to inform the public about this global health threat and educate local governments on their responsibility for collecting hazardous household waste. The campaign received over 90 free media coverages in leading national and regional outlets, reaching 65% of the population – double the initial KPI targets. Hundreds of citizens shared on social media that they were learning for the first time how, where, and why to dispose of expired medicines properly. As part of the pilot campaign, mobile collection points for expired medicines were set up in the three largest cities in the country, collecting nearly 1 ton of old medicines in just three days. The campaign’s success also led several municipalities to express interest in organizing similar collection points, funded by their own budgets, fulfilling the campaign’s KPIs.