Malarone

Malarone is a tablet used to prevent malaria in people travelling to areas with a high risk of the disease. Malaria is a serious disease spread by infected mosquitoes, and is particularly prevalent in tropical areas.

You take one tablet daily to prevent the disease, starting 1-2 days before you travel to a high-risk area, taking tablets throughout your trip, and continuing treatment for up to a week after leaving.

Malarone is primarily used as a preventative treatment, but can also treat malaria in the early stages of infection. For severe malaria, injectable treatments like Quinine will be used instead.

Malarone needs to be taken before, during, and after being in a high-risk area to fully protect you.

Malarone is an effective choice for malaria protection that offers several health benefits:

• Highly effective at preventing malaria and can treat mild malarial infection.
• Generally well-tolerated, with few serious side effects reported.
• Convenient dosage of one tablet a day means it is easy to keep up with treatment.
• Dual-action treatment targets malaria in multiple ways, increasing the effectiveness of treatment.

When combined with other preventative measures, like using insect repellant and sleeping under a mosquito net, Malarone is over 95% effective as a preventative treatment for malaria, also known as malaria prophylaxis.

Preventing malaria

One study involving 299 patients looked at how effective Malarone was in preventing malaria in an endemic (high-risk) area. Some of the patients were given daily Malarone malaria tablets for 20 weeks, while the others received a placebo.

The group given Malarone was far more protected from infection. Out of 150 patients, only 3 became infected with malaria. This means Malarone was 98% effective at preventing malaria.

The placebo group was far less protected. Out of 149 patients, 37 became infected with malaria. This means only 75% of patients were effectively protected from malaria.

If prescribed for malaria treatment, Malarone begins working soon after the first dose. However, you must complete the full course of treatment or you risk the disease coming back.

This means taking your tablets before you travel and after you return as well as during your stay in a high-risk area.

How do I take it?

When taking Malarone antimalarial tablets, there are a couple of ways to maximise effectiveness:

• Take the tablet with food or a milky drink
• Take your tablets at the same time every day

What if I miss a dose of Malarone?

Forgetting to take your medication is common, and it can be hard to know what to do next.

Follow these instructions if you miss a dose of Malarone:

• If it’s the same day, take your missed tablet as soon as possible, then continue your treatment as usual
• If it’s the next day, forget the missed dose and continue treatment as usual
• Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

TIP: set a daily reminder on your phone so you don’t forget to take your tablets

Malarone only comes in one dose: 250 mg atovaquone/ 100 mg proguanil hydrochloride.

How long you take it for will depend on whether you are treating malaria or preventing it. Here is a helpful table detailing the recommended dosage schedule:

Malaria symptoms usually present 6-30 days after infection, but it can sometimes take up to a year before they appear. To protect yourself from infection, you must complete the full course of treatment, even if you don’t feel sick.

Dr. Caroline Fontana Lead Prescribing Doctor

Who can take it?

Malarone is a prescription only medicine, so only those who need it can obtain it. To obtain a prescription for Malarone, you must be:

• Over the age of 18
• Travelling to an area with a high risk of malaria

Malaria can be a very serious and potentially life-threatening disease. If you are already infected with malaria, you must seek immediate medical help. euroClinix is not a replacement for emergency care.

Who cannot take it?

There are some circumstances where taking Malarone may pose a risk to your health. Consult your doctor if:

• You have had an allergic reaction to atovaquone, proguanil, or any other ingredient in Malarone
• You have severe kidney disease
• You are pregnant or breastfeeding

As with all prescription medications, Malarone may produce side effects.

To manage nausea and vomiting, make sure you take Malarone with food or a milky drink. Doing so can help with absorption and make the medicine easier to tolerate

Dr. Caroline Fontana Lead Prescribing Doctor

Notify your doctor of any side effects you experience, even those not mentioned here.

For a full list of side effects, consult the patient information leaflet sent with your order.

Some medications may reduce the effectiveness of Malarone or produce unwanted side effects. Tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medications:

Medicines that reduce the effectiveness of Malarone:

• Rifampin and Rifabutin (antibiotics)
• Efavirenz and protease inhibitors (HIV treatments)
• Metoclopramide (nausea medication)
• Tetracycline (antibiotic)

Medicines that increase the risk of side effects:

• Warfarin (blood clotting medication)
• Etoposide (type of cancer medication)

Notify your doctor of any medications you are taking. This information will allow them to prescribe Malarone safely.

Aside from taking your medication as prescribed, there are some lifestyle changes you can make to ensure effective treatment. Consider the following to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

Follow these steps to safely and effectively store your medication

• Keep out of the sight and reach of children
• Do not use this medication after the expiry date
• Do not throw away medicines via wastewater or household waste*

*Take any unused medication to your local pharmacy for proper disposal. These measures help to protect the environment.

No, Malarone can only be obtained with a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider.

Prescriptions are necessary because they:

• Ensure appropriate use for your specific condition.
• Prevent potential misuse and associated health risks.
• Allow for monitoring of side effects and interactions with other medications.

Ordering Malarone antimalarial tablets with euroClinix is simple and secure. Follow these steps:

• Start a confidential online questionnaire from the top of this page. It will take about 5-10 minutes to complete.
• A UK-registered doctor will review your consultation.
• If approved, the doctor will issue an electronic prescription.
• A licensed UK pharmacy will send your medication in discreet packaging. The pharmacy will also share tracking information. You get free next-day delivery.

euroClinix offers ongoing support for any questions. Privacy and security are guaranteed through compliance with the relevant regulatory standards and the use of encrypted transactions.

euroClinix is a trusted online clinic that offers services in several European countries. All consultations and prescriptions are handled by our UK-registered doctors.

The process is convenient with online consultations and discreet home delivery. Our friendly customer service team is always happy to assist with any questions related to our services.

The euroClinix platform is user-friendly for managing prescriptions and reorders securely.

euroClinix offers a free consultation and free next-day delivery with all orders. No hidden costs, no long waits for treatment.

Depending on your individual circumstances, an alternative antimalarial drug may be more suitable. Consult this table to see the pros and cons of the most commonly prescribed malaria treatments.

Different treatment options have different dosage schedules to follow. When deciding on treatment, be mindful of how long you will have to take your medication.

For advanced infection, you will need stronger medication and more specialised treatment. Seek immediate medical help if you believe you may have been infected with malaria.

Malarone vs doxycycline

Both Malarone and doxycycline are highly effective at preventing malaria. However, there are some areas where doxycycline is not as effective.

In some parts of the world there are strains of the malaria parasite that are resistant to doxycycline. Research the resistances in your area when deciding which antimalarial tablet to use.

Doxycycline also requires you to continue treatment for longer after leaving a malaria prone area (28 days). Keep this in mind when choosing your medication.