How to take Malarone
Malarone has to be taken every day in order to protect you from malaria. Treatment consists of one tablet taken once a day. Malarone tablets should be taken with food or a drink of milk as this helps your body absorb the medicine. You need to begin taking Malarone tablets 1-2 days before you travel to a risk area. You also need to continue treatment for 7 days after you have returned to a malaria-free area. Stopping your treatment early puts you at risk of contracting malaria.
If you forget to take a tablet, just take your next tablet as soon as your remember, then continue with your treatment as before. Do not extra tablets to make up for the doses you missed.
Always take the full course of Malarone that you have been prescribed and ask a doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
Malaria is a dangerous, sometimes fatal, disease. It is important that you protect yourself before travelling to an area where the parasite is present. In addition to taking malaria tablets such as Malarone you must avoid mosquito bites by using insect repellent, bed nets, and covering your skin with loose trousers and long sleeved shirts if you go out in the evening or at night. You should be aware that it is still possible to catch malaria, even if you are taking the tablets, and you should seek medical advice urgently if you feel unwell.
How much does Malarone cost?
Malarone costs slightly more than doxycycline and Lariam but you only have to take it for 7 days after you return and it is also considered less likely to cause side effects. It can be used when going to areas where the malaria parasite has become resistant to Lariam.
Superdrug Online Doctor offers Malarone from £27 for 10 tablets, prescription and delivery included. Please note, product packaging may differ from the image above.
What is the normal Malarone dosage?
Each tablet of Malarone contains the daily dose of 250mg of atovaquone and 100mg of proguanil hydrochloride. In combination, the two substances provide effective protection from malaria infection.
What if I am sick?
Vomiting and diarrhoea can reduce the effectiveness of Malarone and can leave you vulnerable to infection. If you vomit within one hour of taking your daily tablet, you need to take another one as soon as possible. If you suffer from diarrhoea you need to speak to a doctor who will check whether you are still protected from malaria. Take extra care and use insect repellent and bednets to stay safe if you believe Malarone may not have worked properly.
Please bear in mind that taking an extra tablet after vomiting can mean that you run out of malarone tablets before leaving a malaria area. You must ensure that you have enough malaria medication to cover the full duration of your stay.Who can take Malarone?
Malarone is safe to take for most people. However, as with most medications there are some exceptions. Your doctor will review whether it is suitable for you.
Malarone won’t be suitable for you if you are allergic to any of the ingredients, have a severe kidney problem, are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Can you buy Malarone over the counter?
Malarone is not available over the counter. It is a prescription medication and a doctor needs to confirm that it is suitable for you and that it will protect you from malaria at all locations on your travel itinerary.
You can get your prescription and medication online from Superdrug Online Doctor. One of our doctors will review your order and confirm which antimalarial is suitable for you.
The only over the counter antimalarial is chloroquine, which is not suitable for travel in most malaria areas as the malaria parasite has developed a resistance to it.
If you would like personalised advice on malaria prevention, you can book a £20 telephone consultation with one of our doctors.
Back to top
