Working out how many Malarone or generic Malarone, Maloff or generic Malarone (atovaquone and proguanil) tablets you need for your trip can be tricky, especially if you are purchasing malaria prevention for more than one person. The below calculator can help you work out exactly how many tablets you need to buy for your trip, in as little as four clicks. All you need to know is the number of adults over 40kg travelling to the malaria risk area, how many days they will be at risk and finally if they/you have any spare tablets. Don't worry if you have no spares, you can put in 0 or leave the field blank.
If you are travelling with children, you can work out how many tablets they will need using our Malarone Paediatric tablet calculator.
What is Malarone
Malarone is a branded version of a combination of two generic medicines – atovaquone and proguanil. This combination is used for malaria prevention when travelling to areas of malaria risk. It can be used for the treatment of malaria, however, we only offer it for the prevention. We offer both branded Malarone and the generic version – this works the same and is just as effective as the branded Malarone but is significantly cheaper.
Approximately 1,500 malaria cases are reported each year in travellers coming into the UK. This means it’s really important that you take the right precautions to prevent catching the disease.
Why would I need Malarone, How does it work and Areas of risk
Malaria is a parasitic disease spread by mosquito bites in predominantly tropical areas of the world. This includes parts of Africa, Asia and South America. Why not check out our interactive world map which shows the areas of the world where there is malaria risk.
https://www.travelpharm.com/malaria-risk-and-vaccination-information-i355
When you get bitten by a mosquito, it releases a parasite into your blood. Malarone works by killing this parasite, so preventing the development of the disease.
Malaria is of particular risk for certain people including pregnant women, the elderly and children, so it is important to make sure you check if you need malaria prevention before you travel. For children, we offer paediatric Malarone, and we have a calculator for working out how many tablets you will need for up to four children travelling.
How much will Malarone cost?
Our price for Malarone is currently £1.95 per tablet – this would cost, for a 1 week trip, just under £32.
We do, as mentioned above, offer the cheaper, generic version of Malarone, atovaquone and proguanil. This currently costs £1.05 per tablet, which would cost just over £16.
We do offer other types of antimalarials, which may be less costly than Malarone, however, they may have a higher incidence of side effects.
Who can’t take Malarone
There are some situations where we may be unhappy to supply it, and you may need a visit your doctor. However, there are some situations where Malarone isn’t appropriate. These include;
• If you are allergic to either of the main ingredients – atovaquone and proguanil.
• If you have severe kidney disease.
It is also important that we know exactly what medicines you are currently taking, as some (although not many) cannot be taken with Malarone.
If we feel that Malarone is not the most appropriate form of malaria prevention, then we may offer a suitable alternative. This could be because there is a better tablet for the area you are visiting, or perhaps because you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
How to take
You will need to start taking Malarone (atovaquone and proguanil) two days before you travel, daily for the duration of the trip and then for a week once you return.
The tablets are taken once daily with food and it’s really important that you complete the course when you return home. The above calculator is a handy way of working out exactly how many tablets you will need on your trip.
If you are sick within one hour of taking Malarone, then you may not be protected against malaria. You, therefore, need to take another one as soon as possible, to maintain protection.
Side effects
Some people may experience side effects when taking Malarone, but these will not affect everybody and are usually minor. If affected, this does not mean you have to stop taking Malarone.
- Headache
- Stomach upset including feeling sick and diarrhoea.
Malarone can also make you feel dizzy. In this case, it is important not to drive until this passes.
Other ways to prevent malaria
As well as taking malaria prevention, we also suggest bite-prevention methods, such as;
- Using insect repellent- both repellents applied to the skin or plug-ins for rooms.
- Wearing long-sleeved tops and trousers, especially at night.
- Keeping windows and doors closed, which can be facilitated by sleeping in well air-conditioned rooms.
- Sleeping under mosquito nets.
We also sell a range of the products mentioned above, which can be used alongside malaria prevention tablets, including repellent and nets. Click here to see our comprehensive range.
