Malarone

Malarone is a prescription medicine that contains two active ingredients: atovaquone (250mg) and proguanil hydrochloride (100mg). It belongs to a group of medicines called antimalarials. Malaria is a serious, sometimes fatal disease spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, which passes the malaria parasite into your bloodstream. Malarone has two distinct uses: to prevent malaria (prophylaxis) and to treat malaria. When used for prevention, Malarone is one of the most effective antimalarial tablets available, with a success rate of more than 90% when taken correctly. For treatment, Malarone is used to cure acute, uncomplicated malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum, the most dangerous and drug‑resistant type of malaria parasite. As well as taking Malarone, it is very important that you also take steps to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. Use insect repellent on exposed skin, wear light‑coloured clothing that covers most of your body, sleep under a mosquito net treated with insecticide, and keep windows and doors closed at sunset when mosquitoes are most active.

The two ingredients in Malarone work together to stop the malaria parasite from growing and multiplying in your body. Atovaquone and proguanil act at different stages of the parasite's life cycle, creating a synergistic effect that is more powerful than either ingredient alone. Atovaquone disrupts the parasite's ability to generate energy, effectively starving it. Proguanil (through its active metabolite, cycloguanil) blocks the parasite's ability to produce essential genetic material. By working together, these two active ingredients not only prevent an infection from taking hold but also treat an existing infection by clearing the parasite from your blood.

Taking Malarone correctly is essential for it to work properly. The routine for prevention is different from the routine for treatment. For prevention (prophylaxis): Take one Malarone tablet once a day, at the same time each day. Start taking Malarone 1 to 2 days (24 to 48 hours) before entering a malaria‑endemic area. Continue taking it daily while you are in the malaria area. Crucially, you must continue taking it for 7 days after leaving the area. Take each dose with food or a milky drink – this significantly improves absorption and reduces the chance of stomach‑related side effects. For treatment (acute malaria): The recommended dose for treating malaria is four Malarone tablets (a total of 1g atovaquone and 400mg proguanil) taken as a single daily dose for three consecutive days. This should only be used under medical supervision. What if you vomit within one hour of taking a dose? If you vomit within one hour of taking Malarone, you should take a repeat dose. If vomiting continues, contact your doctor or pharmacist. What if you forget to take a dose? If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, unless it is nearly time for your next dose. If it is the next day, skip the missed dose and take your next tablet at the usual time. Do not take two tablets together to make up for a missed dose.

The Malarone price varies depending on the length of your trip and how many tablets you need. For a two‑week holiday, you will need to start taking the tablets 1‑2 days before departure and continue for 7 days after your return, which typically requires a supply of around 23 tablets. If you want to buy Malarone online, the process is straightforward. You complete our short online consultation – a health questionnaire that asks about your travel plans, medical history, and any other medicines you are taking. Our prescriber reviews your answers to ensure Malarone is safe and appropriate for you. If approved, they issue a private prescription and your medication is dispatched. The price you see typically covers both the consultation fee and the medication. Access Doctor is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). You should never buy Malarone from unregulated websites – counterfeit medicines can contain dangerous substances and will not protect you against malaria.

If you order Malarone online through a regulated service such as Access Doctor, and you complete the consultation before the daily cut‑off time (usually mid‑afternoon Monday to Friday), your order will be dispatched the same day. Most UK online pharmacies offer Malarone next day delivery as a standard service, with orders arriving by Royal Mail Tracked 24 or a similar courier service. Delivery is often free on orders over a certain amount, and the packaging is discreet – plain and unmarked – so no one else knows what is inside. Once your order is dispatched, you will receive tracking information so you can follow your delivery. Some pharmacies also offer click‑and‑collect, allowing you to pick up your order from a local pharmacy branch in as little as two hours after approval.

In the UK, Malarone is not available on the NHS for malaria prevention. Several NHS formularies explicitly state that drugs for malaria prophylaxis are not prescribable on the NHS and require a private prescription. This means you cannot get Malarone through a standard NHS prescription unless you are being treated for an active malaria infection (and even then, it is usually restricted to specialist authorisation). For prevention, you will need to obtain a private prescription from a travel clinic, a GP offering travel services, or an online pharmacy like Access Doctor.

Malarone has a low side effect profile, meaning most people tolerate it well. Most side effects are mild and short‑lasting. Very common side effects (affect more than 1 in 10 people): headache, nausea (feeling sick) and vomiting, stomach pain, and diarrhoea. Common side effects (affect up to 1 in 10 people): dizziness, sleeping problems (insomnia), strange dreams, depression, loss of appetite, fever, itchy rash, and cough. Uncommon side effects (affect up to 1 in 100 people): anxiety, palpitations (awareness of your heartbeat), mouth swelling and redness, hair loss, and hives (itchy, bumpy rash). Rare side effects (affect up to 1 in 1,000 people): hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there). Serious side effects – stop taking Malarone and seek medical help immediately if you experience: swelling of your face, lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing (signs of a severe allergic reaction); a severe skin rash that may blister and look like small targets (erythema multiforme); or a severe widespread rash with blisters and peeling skin, particularly around the mouth, nose, eyes and genitals (Stevens‑Johnson syndrome).

There are several groups of people who should not take Malarone. Do NOT take Malarone if: you are allergic to atovaquone, proguanil hydrochloride, or any of the other ingredients in the tablet; you have severe kidney disease (creatinine clearance less than 30 mL/min) and you are taking it for malaria prevention (for treatment, it should only be used if the benefits greatly outweigh the risks); or you have ever had a severe skin reaction after taking Malarone or any other antimalarial medicine. Use with caution (and tell your doctor) if: you have severe kidney disease (alternatives to Malarone should be considered); you have mild to moderate kidney or liver problems (no dose adjustment is needed, but your doctor should be aware); or you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Yes, Malarone can interact with several other medicines. Do NOT take Malarone with: rifampicin or rifabutin (antibiotics used to treat tuberculosis and other infections) – these can significantly reduce the level of Malarone in your blood, making it less effective. Interactions that need caution (tell your doctor before taking Malarone): warfarin and other blood‑thinning medicines – proguanil may increase the anticoagulant effect, raising the risk of bleeding, and your doctor may need to monitor your INR (clotting time) more closely; tetracycline antibiotics – these can reduce the level of Malarone in your blood; metoclopramide (a medicine for nausea and vomiting) – this can reduce the absorption of Malarone; and efavirenz and certain HIV protease inhibitors – these can reduce Malarone levels. Always tell your doctor or pharmacist about all medicines you are taking, including those you have bought without a prescription.

Yes, children can take Malarone, but the dose depends on their weight. For children weighing over 40kg, the dose is the same as for adults (one adult tablet daily). For children weighing less than 40kg, you should use Malarone Paediatric tablets (62.5mg/25mg) or adjust the adult dose under medical guidance. For prevention (prophylaxis): Children 11–20 kg – one paediatric tablet daily. Children 21–30 kg – two paediatric tablets daily. Children 31–40 kg – three paediatric tablets daily. Children over 40 kg – one adult tablet daily. Malarone tablets should not be used for malaria prevention in children weighing less than 11kg. For treatment of malaria: Children over 40kg should take four adult tablets daily for three days. For children under 40kg, your doctor will calculate the appropriate dose based on weight.

Pregnancy: The safety of Malarone during pregnancy has not been fully established. Although animal studies have not shown evidence of harm to the developing baby, there are no adequate studies in pregnant women. Malarone should only be used during pregnancy if the expected benefit to the mother outweighs any potential risk to the foetus. If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or think you might be pregnant, speak to your doctor before taking Malarone. For women of childbearing age who are taking folate supplements to prevent neural tube birth defects, you should continue those supplements while taking Malarone. Breastfeeding: Proguanil is excreted into breast milk in small quantities. It is not known whether atovaquone passes into human breast milk. The official advice from the manufacturer is that Malarone should not be taken by breastfeeding women. If you are breastfeeding, speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Malarone – they can help you weigh the potential benefits against the risks and may recommend an alternative antimalarial.

Store below 25°C (room temperature) in a dry place, away from direct sunlight and heat. Keep the blister pack in its outer carton to protect it from moisture. Keep the medicine out of the sight and reach of children. Do not use the tablets after the expiry date printed on the packaging. The shelf life of Malarone tablets is 5 years. If you have any leftover tablets, do not throw them away in household waste or pour them down the sink. Take them to your local pharmacy, where they will be disposed of safely.