Malarone

Malarone is an antimalarial tablet used to prevent or treat malaria when traveling to a place with a high risk of the disease. By taking Malarone once daily before, during and after your trip, you can protect yourself from malaria and enjoy your holiday worry-free. At 121doc, we prescribe 250 mg/100 mg Malarone tablets specifically for preventing malaria.

Malarone works by interfering with enzymes in the malaria parasite (plasmodium falciparum), stopping the disease from spreading. It does this through its two active ingredients: proguanil hydrochloride and atovaquone. With the malaria infection prevented from spreading, your body’s immune system can effectively kill the virus and symptoms should subside.

Malarone antimalarial tablets are over 95% effective at protecting against malaria according to clinical studies.

Research also suggests that atovaquone-proguanil tablets like Malarone may be particularly effective for travellers visiting areas with a high resistance to other antimalarials. Studies also show Malarone is one of the most well-tolerated antimalarial medications, offering a lower chance of side effects without sacrificing effectiveness.

Malarone antimalarial tablets can be prescribed to people over 18 years old travelling to an area with a high-risk of malaria. There is only one dose of Malarone: 250 mg atovaquone/100 mg proguanil hydrochloride per tablet.

Do not take Malarone if you:

• are allergic to atovaquone, proguanil hydrochloride, or any other ingredient in this medicine
• have severe kidney disease
• are pregnant or breastfeeding

The recommended Malarone dose is 1 tablet once per day, preferably with food or milk. Here is the general timeline to follow:

1. Start taking Malarone 2 days before you travel to a high-risk area.
2. Take it for the entire duration of your trip.
3. Continue taking it for 7 days after your return to a malaria-free area.

It is important to take Malarone for the full course to ensure full protection. Stopping early can risk you getting malaria.

If you forget to take a dose of Malarone, skip the missed dose and take your next one at the usual time. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. It is very important you take the full course to ensure protection against malaria.

While generally tolerated better than other antimalarials like Mefloquine and Doxycycline, Malarone can cause some side effects.

The most common Malarone side effects include:

• headache
• nausea and vomiting
• stomach pain
• diarrhoea

This is not an exhaustive list. For a full list of Malarone’s side effects, consult the patient information leaflet. If your Malarone dosage is causing side effects, speak to your doctor about possible changes to your treatment plan.

Most side effects from Malarone malaria tablets should disappear 1-2 days after you stop taking it. Side effects may persist for the entirety of treatment, but they can also go away as your body gets used to the medication.

To avoid or reduce the severity of side effects, take Malarone with food or a milky drink. This is especially helpful for side effects like headache, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain, and can also make treatment more effective.

Maloff and Malarone are both antimalarial treatments containing 250 mg atovaquone and 100 mg proguanil hydrochloride. Since they contain the same active ingredients, they work in the same way to prevent malaria.

The only differences between the two antimalarial tablets are brand name, manufacturer, and the fact that Maloff is available without a prescription in some countries. Generic atovaquone/proguanil hydrochloride tablets may also come in a different dosage, although the general dose of 250 mg/100 mg is the standard.

Yes, there are generic versions of Malarone. Generic atovaquone/proguanil hydrochloride tablets are medically equivalent to Malarone, meaning they contain the same ingredients and work in the same way. However, there are some differences, such as packaging and manufacturer. Generic Malarone tablets are not available from 121doc.

You can take your Malarone tablets whenever suits your lifestyle best. There are no specific guidelines detailing when to take them, as long as you take them with food or a milky drink at the same time every day if possible.

Both Malarone and Doxycycline are effective medicines used for malaria prevention, but there are some things that separate them:

• Regional differences: some strains of the malaria virus are resistant to Doxycycline, so Malarone is preferred when travelling to parts of the world where these strains are found.
• Post-travel dosing: Malarone only requires you to use it for 7 days after returning from your travels, whereas Doxycycline needs to be taken for 4 weeks once you’re back.

Keep these factors in mind when deciding which antimalarial treatment is most suitable for your needs. See more information and compare your options for malaria prevention here.

No, you cannot get Malarone malaria tablets without a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider. Safety is our number one priority at 121doc, and our doctors will only prescribe treatment if you meet the criteria in your online consultation.

A prescription from a trusted healthcare provider like 121doc ensures:

• safety during treatment
• effective results
• monitoring of side effects