How long can a traveller take different malaria prevention tablets?
A. Guidelines for the long term use of malaria tablets are summarised in Chapter 7 of the malaria guidelines, and were originally published in 2003 by the ACMP: Malaria prophylaxis for long-term travellers. Comm Dis Public Health 2003; 6: 200-8. The main issues influencing the choice of malaria prevention tablets on a long-term basis are the same as for short-term, i.e. adverse event profile, ease of compliance and efficacy. However, the specific issue relating to advice on malaria prevention tablets for the long-term traveller relates to current licensing restrictions. Long term use of malaria prevention tablets outside licensing restrictions is based on the cumulative evidence of lack of harm rather than positive evidence of safety. This situation is unlikely to change. Chloroquine Chloroquine has been taken safely for periods of many years at doses used for malaria prevention. However, there has been concern expressed about the possible development of retinal toxicity with long term
