May 24, 2016

expert reaction to house of commons defence committee report on the use of mefloquine (also known as lariam) in the uk armed forces

A report by the House of Commons Defence Committee has looked at the use of the antimalarial mefloquine among military personnel and its associated risks.

Prof David Mabey, Professor of Communicable Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said:

“There have been a number of anecdotal reports of severe neuropsychiatric reactions in people taking Lariam (mefloquine) and the consequences of such a reaction in a member of the armed forces on active service are obvious. However, it’s also important to remember that a causal relationship has not been convincingly shown. Lariam has proven itself to be an effective ‘once a week pill’ for preventing malaria for more than 20 years. Prescribing it as a last resort after a thorough risk assessment to make sure there is no history of neuropsychiatric illness, is a reasonable option.

“Malarone is equally effective in preventing malaria and is virtually free of side effects, but has to be taken once a day and is more expensive.”

‘An acceptable risk? The use of Lariam for military personnel’ by the House of Commons Defence Committee was published on Tuesday 24th May.

Declared interests

Prof. David Mabey: No conflicts of interest to declare