Against this backdrop, and in honour of World Antibiotic Awareness Week, the joint initiative promoted by Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo and the City of Turin Local Health Authority, under the patronage of the Piedmont Region, was unveiled today. The project, entitled “L’antibiotico si cura. Nature Created Antibiotics, Science Discovered Them. Now It’s Up to Us to Preserve Their Effectiveness”, marks the first result of a process launched in early 2025 by the two Turin-based institutions, which led to the establishment of a multidisciplinary team charged with defining priorities, operational tools and intervention methods.
The event was attended, amongst others, by the Piedmont Region President, Alberto Cirio, the Regional Health Director, Federico Riboldi, City of Turin Councillor, Ivana Garione, the Chair of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, Marco Gilli and City of Turin Local Health Authority Director, Carlo Picco.
Professor Ilaria Capua, an internationally acclaimed virologist and Senior Fellow of Global Health at Johns Hopkins University SAIS Europe, who is supporting the initiative in a scientific advisory role, opened the meeting with a lecture on the vision guiding the project: Circular Health. An extension of the One Health paradigm, it emphasises the constant and reciprocal connection between the health of people, animals and ecosystems. This approach enables us to tackle antimicrobial resistance by recognising its systemic nature and the need for coordinated responses.
A key feature of “L’antibiotico si cura” is the commitment to building a stable alliance among the various fields of health: human, animal and environmental, along with the active involvement of local communities. The goal is to gradually develop a model that starts in Turin but can be replicated in other settings as well.
The next steps will involve targeted activities for healthcare professionals, including tools to support more appropriate prescribing, monitoring of specific classes of antimicrobials, and surveys on stewardship practices within healthcare facilities and pharmacies. Additional materials and resources may also be developed to help manage symptoms that do not require medication, encouraging more informed decisions in patient care.
At the same time, public-facing initiatives will be launched, including an awareness campaign and a series of short informational videos – “knowledge pills” – featuring the initiative’s first Ambassadors. These are designed to promote more responsible behaviour and greater awareness of how to preserve the effectiveness of medicines.
Today’s event already marks the first achievement of this shared effort. A roundtable moderated by science journalist Anna Meldolesi brought together the inaugural Ambassadors – Guido Giustetto, Chair of the Association of Doctor Surgeons and Dentists of the Province of Turin; Mario Giaccone, Chair of the Association of Pharmacists of the Province of Turin; Secondo Barbero, Director General of Arpa Piemonte; Alessandro Dondo, Medical Director of the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piedmont, Liguria, and Valle d’Aosta; and Paola Saglietti, Director of Banco Farmaceutico ODV, clearly demonstrating the value of combining diverse areas of expertise.
The core elements of the initiative were presented by Silvia Dorato, Head of the “Promoting Well-being – Planet Goal” mission at Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, and Paola Crosasso, Director of Hospital Pharmacies at the City of Turin Local Health Authority.
Institutional Statements
Alberto Cirio, President of the Piedmont Region and Federico Riboldi, Regional Health Director
“Combating antibiotic resistance is a complex challenge that demands a coordinated effort among institutions, physicians, researchers and a well-informed public. Our sincere thanks go to Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo for taking the lead in coordinating such an important scientific initiative, and to the City of Turin Local Health Authority for its commitment to a project that we believe will deliver valuable results in addressing a phenomenon that has become a major public health concern in recent years. The Region supports this project with conviction and full cooperation.”
Marco Gilli, Chair of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo
Countering antibiotic resistance means tackling one of the most urgent challenges in public health, a challenge which stems from the interplay of clinical factors, environmental and social factors. To respond effectively, we must create the conditions for sustained collaboration among institutions, healthcare professionals, researchers and local stakeholders. With this goal in mind, the Foundation has put forward its experience in facilitating and coordinating complex processes, helping to build a shared effort that, for the first time, brings together, in a structured way, the expertise involved in safeguarding human, animal and environmental health. This approach allows us to establish shared priorities and develop complementary actions to combat antibiotic resistance. As part of the 2025–2028 Strategic Plan, this initiative demonstrates our commitment to fostering partnerships capable of integrating prevention, sustainability and the production and sharing of knowledge. Preserving health as a collective good requires mutual commitment and the ability to build dialogue between different areas of expertise: a role the Foundation intends to continue carrying out responsibly
Carlo Picco, General Manager, City of Turin Health Authority:
Antibiotic resistance is one of the most serious threats to global public health, and the situation in Italy is especially concerning. Our mission is clear: to promote the informed and appropriate use of antibiotics. Their efficacy is a precious, non-negotiable resource. Through this initiative, built on a systemic vision of health, we are joining forces with Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo and with all local stakeholders, from physicians to citizens, to ensure that every prescription is truly necessary and that protecting these life-saving drugs becomes a shared responsibility”
Ilaria Capua, Senior Fellow of Global Health at Johns Hopkins University SAIS Europe:
“Finally, a project that not only calls for multidisciplinarity but actually puts it into practice. Antimicrobial resistance can only be tackled through an integrated approach; we’ve been saying this for years, but too often it remains just an aspiration. The initiative launched today in Turin shows that it is possible to work together and invest in the future. “L’antibiotico si cura” is more than a statement of intent, it is a vision translated into concrete actions, an example of how effective solutions emerge when we fully embrace the challenge of complexity.”[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image image=”40423″ img_size=”large” css=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”sdg-list-wrap”][vc_column][vc_raw_html]JTVCU2V6aW9uZV9Eb2N1bWVudGklNUQ=[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]