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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/may/24/mps-sound-alarm-british-troops-use-malaria-drug-lariam
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| MPs say malaria drug Lariam should only be used by UK troops as 'last resort' | MPs say malaria drug Lariam should only be used by UK troops as 'last resort' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Lariam, an anti-malarial drug that can have severe psychological side-effects, should be prescribed to British troops only as a last resort in a very limited number of cases, MPs have said. | Lariam, an anti-malarial drug that can have severe psychological side-effects, should be prescribed to British troops only as a last resort in a very limited number of cases, MPs have said. |
| The risks associated with the drug were deemed to be so great that military personnel threw them away rather than take them, the Commons defence committee heard. Roche, manufacturer of the drug, issues a “prescriber checklist” asking whether the patient has ever suffered neuropsychological conditions. | The risks associated with the drug were deemed to be so great that military personnel threw them away rather than take them, the Commons defence committee heard. Roche, manufacturer of the drug, issues a “prescriber checklist” asking whether the patient has ever suffered neuropsychological conditions. |
| However, military personnel might hide any such conditions fearing that by admitting them they could jeopardise their careers, a report released on Tuesday says. | However, military personnel might hide any such conditions fearing that by admitting them they could jeopardise their careers, a report released on Tuesday says. |
| It adds that, though Roche has laid down stringent conditions that must be met if Lariam (also known as mefloquine) is to be prescribed safely there was “very strong anecdotal evidence that such conditions have been ignored in dispensing it to large numbers of troops about to be deployed”. | It adds that, though Roche has laid down stringent conditions that must be met if Lariam (also known as mefloquine) is to be prescribed safely there was “very strong anecdotal evidence that such conditions have been ignored in dispensing it to large numbers of troops about to be deployed”. |
| The MPs continue: “There is neither the need, nor any justification for continuing to issue this medication to service personnel except when the three conditions … above have been met.” | The MPs continue: “There is neither the need, nor any justification for continuing to issue this medication to service personnel except when the three conditions … above have been met.” |
| These are that the drug should be prescribed “only to those who are unable to tolerate any of the available alternatives; only after a face-to-face individual risk assessment has been conducted; and only after the patient has been made aware of the alternatives and has been given the choice between Lariam and another suitable anti-malarial drug”. | These are that the drug should be prescribed “only to those who are unable to tolerate any of the available alternatives; only after a face-to-face individual risk assessment has been conducted; and only after the patient has been made aware of the alternatives and has been given the choice between Lariam and another suitable anti-malarial drug”. |
| Julian Lewis, chairman of the defence committee, said: “It seems quite clear that not only is the MoD [Ministry of Defence] unable to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for prescribing the drug in all instances, but a number of troops discard their Lariam rather than risk its potentially dangerous side-effects.” | |
| Most of the time it was simply impossible to carry out individual assessments because “a sudden, mass deployment of hundreds of troops is necessary”. | Most of the time it was simply impossible to carry out individual assessments because “a sudden, mass deployment of hundreds of troops is necessary”. |
| The law firm Hilary Meredith said it had been contacted by 470 former service personnel who were prescribed the drug and suffered from a range of mental health issues and psychological side-effects, including hallucinations, severe depression, sleep deprivation and anxiety. | The law firm Hilary Meredith said it had been contacted by 470 former service personnel who were prescribed the drug and suffered from a range of mental health issues and psychological side-effects, including hallucinations, severe depression, sleep deprivation and anxiety. |
| Former army commando Grant Evatt, a director of the firm, said: “Like thousands of other troops, I took anti-malarial drugs … we had no idea of the potential side-effects.” | Former army commando Grant Evatt, a director of the firm, said: “Like thousands of other troops, I took anti-malarial drugs … we had no idea of the potential side-effects.” |
| Tuesday’s report says at least 17,368 British military personnel were prescribed Lariam at least once between 2007 and 2015, while 104,000 were prescribed different drugs. | Tuesday’s report says at least 17,368 British military personnel were prescribed Lariam at least once between 2007 and 2015, while 104,000 were prescribed different drugs. |
| Chloroquine and proguanil travel packs account for 75% of MoD stocks of anti-malarial drugs. Though troops in other European countries are offered Lariam, malarone and doxycycline are preferred. | |
| Vice-admiral Alasdair Walker, surgeon general of the British army, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the forces would continue to use larium despite the concerns raised. | |
| “We have a duty to protect our personnel from malaria, we welcome the committee’s conclusion that in same cases larium will be an appropriate third-place drug,” he said. | |
| “Let me put things in perspective though, there are 190m cases of malaria a year, half a million people die from malaria and in the British military, despite the fact we send people to high-malaria areas, we’ve only had one death in 1992, so in the last 25 years we’ve had one death. So we are taking this seriously. | |
| “All these drugs, unfortunately, like many other drugs for other conditions, have side-effects so for some people it’s not appropriate to take doxycycline or malarone and in these situations where they’re liable to be exposed to malaria, then we reserve the right to use meflaquin – larium – where appropriate with the recommendations that Roche, the drug company, make.” | |
| Reminded that Roche recommends thorough interviews with prospective users of larium, the vice-admiral said: “The policy I’m driving with all my primary care staff, the GPs that prescribe this, is to make sure there’s a proper risk assessment made of the people before they deploy and the informed consent to take the drug is there. | |
| “The committee did say with certain circumstances, well controlled, larium could be prescribed and we would not take that drug out of our armamentarium, it’s an effective anti-malarial. | |
| “Under very close control with very careful assessments then larium still is an effective drug.” |