Best Malaria Tablets UK: Maloff Protect, Malarone, Generic and Doxycycline Compared
How the main malaria prevention tablets compare on timing, side effects and cost, and how to choose the right one for your trip.
Part of our malaria guide.
Feeling ill during or after a trip? A fever, chills, sweats, headache or flu-like illness during or up to a year after visiting a malaria area needs medical help the same day: call NHS 111, see a GP urgently or go to A&E, and say where you've travelled. Call 999 if someone is confused, very drowsy or having a fit. Malaria tablets are for prevention only.
Key fact: There's no single best malaria tablet. Atovaquone/proguanil suits most short trips; doxycycline costs less per day but is taken for 4 weeks after you leave.
Travelling to a malaria area?
Tell us where you're going and when, and a UK pharmacist prescriber will check which malaria tablets are recommended for your trip. Adults 18 and over, trips up to 12 weeks. Order at least a week before you travel. Approved before 3pm, Monday to Friday? Dispatched the same day by Royal Mail Tracked 48, Tracked 24 or Special Delivery.
Start Malaria Tablets Consultation →Is there a best malaria tablet?
There's no single best malaria tablet for everyone. The right one depends on where you're going, how long you're away, your health and other medicines, and your budget. UK guidelines (UKHSA 2026) list which tablets are recommended for each country, and a prescriber checks this for your trip.
Malaria tablets compared
| Atovaquone/proguanil | Doxycycline | Mefloquine (Lariam) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brands we supply | Maloff Protect, Malarone, generic | Doxycycline 100mg | Not supplied online |
| How often | Daily | Daily | Weekly |
| Start | 1 to 2 days before | 1 to 2 days before | 2 to 3 weeks before |
| After you leave | 7 days | 4 weeks | 4 weeks |
| Main downsides | Highest price per tablet | Sun sensitivity; 4 weeks after; indigestion | Mental health and nerve side effects |
| Good for | Short trips; few side effects | Longer trips; lowest cost per day | Specialist use (e.g. long stays) |
Atovaquone/proguanil: Maloff Protect, Malarone and generic
Atovaquone/proguanil is the most popular choice for short trips. You start it just 1 to 2 days before you arrive and take it for only 7 days after you leave, because it also works on the liver stage of the parasite. Side effects are usually mild: headache and stomach upset are the most common (see Malarone side effects).
Malarone vs Maloff Protect vs generic: what's the difference?
All three contain exactly the same medicines: atovaquone 250mg and proguanil 100mg, taken the same way. The differences are the licence and the price:
- Maloff Protect is licensed as a pharmacy medicine for adults over 18 weighing more than 40kg, on trips up to 12 weeks, so no prescription is needed.
- Malarone is the original brand, a prescription-only medicine.
- Generic atovaquone/proguanil ("generic Malarone") is prescription-only and usually the cheapest version of the same medicine.
Doxycycline
Doxycycline is an antibiotic that's also recommended to prevent malaria in many areas. It's the lowest-cost tablet per day, but you take it for 4 weeks after you leave, so for a short trip the total number of tablets is higher (44 for a 2-week trip, compared with 23 for atovaquone/proguanil). It can make your skin burn more easily in the sun, must be taken with plenty of water while upright, and isn't suitable in pregnancy or for people taking isotretinoin.
Mefloquine (Lariam) and chloroquine
Mefloquine is taken once a week but must be started 2 to 3 weeks before travel, and it can cause dizziness, sleep problems, anxiety and depression. It isn't suitable for anyone with a history of mental illness or epilepsy, and it's mainly used for specialist situations, such as some pregnant or long-stay travellers. We don't supply it online.
Chloroquine is recommended for very few destinations because the malaria parasite is resistant to it in most areas, and the chloroquine and proguanil combination pack is discontinued in the UK.
How malaria tablets work
After an infected bite, malaria parasites first multiply in the liver, then infect red blood cells, which is what makes you ill. Atovaquone/proguanil works on both the liver and blood stages, so you only need 7 days after leaving. Doxycycline and mefloquine work on the blood stage, so they're continued for 4 weeks to catch parasites that leave the liver later. Our guide on how to take malaria tablets explains the timings.
How to choose
- Short trip, want the simplest course: atovaquone/proguanil (Maloff Protect, Malarone or generic).
- Long trip, cost matters most: doxycycline may work out cheaper, if it suits you.
- Lots of sun or a beach holiday: atovaquone/proguanil avoids doxycycline's sun sensitivity.
- Taking epilepsy medicines such as carbamazepine or phenytoin: atovaquone/proguanil is usually preferred, as these make doxycycline less effective.
- Kidney or liver disease, pregnancy, children, or no spleen: get specialist advice from a travel clinic or GP.
Your destination comes first. The recommended tablets depend on the country and region. Our prescribers check the UKHSA country recommendations for every place you're visiting.
For more on malaria risk and bite prevention, see our malaria guide.
Getting malaria tablets
We supply Maloff Protect, Malarone, generic atovaquone/proguanil and doxycycline for adults on trips of up to 12 weeks. Tell us where you're going and our prescribers will check which suits you. See our malaria tablets page.
UK safety and reporting side effects
In the UK, Malarone, generic atovaquone/proguanil and doxycycline are prescription-only medicines, and Maloff Protect is a pharmacy medicine. Before any malaria tablets are supplied, a GPhC-registered pharmacist prescriber reviews your consultation, including every destination, your dates, your health and the other medicines you take, and checks the UK malaria guidelines for your trip. Always read the patient information leaflet in the pack.
Buy malaria tablets in the UK before you travel. UK guidelines warn that antimalarials bought abroad may be fake or substandard. Only buy medicines from a registered UK pharmacy: you can check any online pharmacy on the GPhC register.
If you think you've had a side effect from a medicine, tell your pharmacist or doctor. You can also report it to the MHRA through the Yellow Card scheme, which helps keep medicines safe for everyone.
Malaria tablets are one part of travel health. Before you go, check FCDO travel advice for your destination and TravelHealthPro for vaccines and other health risks. We don't provide vaccinations, so book a travel clinic or speak to your GP practice if you need them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best malaria tablet?
There isn't one best tablet for everyone. Atovaquone/proguanil (Maloff Protect, Malarone or generic) suits most short trips; doxycycline costs less per day. The right choice depends on your destination, health and trip length.
Is Malarone better than doxycycline?
Neither is better overall. Malarone has a shorter course after you leave (7 days, not 4 weeks) and doesn't cause sun sensitivity. Doxycycline is cheaper per day. Both are recommended for many destinations.
Is Maloff Protect the same as Malarone?
Yes. Both contain atovaquone 250mg and proguanil 100mg. Maloff Protect is licensed as a pharmacy medicine for adults on trips of up to 12 weeks, so it doesn't need a prescription.
Is generic Malarone as good as Malarone?
Yes. Generic atovaquone/proguanil contains the same medicines in the same amounts and must meet the same UK quality standards. It's usually cheaper.
What are the cheapest malaria tablets in the UK?
Doxycycline is the cheapest per tablet, but you take it for 4 weeks after your trip. For short trips, compare the total cost with generic atovaquone/proguanil or Maloff Protect.
Which malaria tablets have the fewest side effects?
Atovaquone/proguanil is generally well tolerated; the most common side effects are headache and stomach upset. Doxycycline commonly causes sun sensitivity. Mefloquine has the most mental health side effects.
Can I take malaria tablets on a beach holiday?
Yes. If you'll be in strong sun, atovaquone/proguanil avoids doxycycline's sun sensitivity. Whatever you take, use sunscreen and insect repellent, applying sunscreen first.
Why don't you supply Lariam?
Mefloquine (Lariam) needs to start 2 to 3 weeks before travel and has serious mental health warnings, so it needs specialist assessment. It's mainly used in situations, such as pregnancy, that need a travel clinic.
References
- UK Health Security Agency. Malaria prevention guidelines 2026: chemoprophylaxis. gov.uk
- UK Health Security Agency. Malaria prevention guidelines 2026: country recommendations. gov.uk
- Malarone 250mg/100mg film-coated tablets: summary of product characteristics. medicines.org.uk
- Maloff Protect 250mg/100mg film-coated tablets: summary of product characteristics. medicines.org.uk
- Doxycycline 100mg capsules: summary of product characteristics. medicines.org.uk
Medical disclaimer: This article is for information only and isn’t medical advice. Malaria tablets need a clinical consultation before they can be supplied, and recommendations depend on your destination. If you feel unwell during or after travel to a malaria area, get medical help the same day. In a medical emergency, call 999.