(Supply Under Patient Group Direction)
Choose a weekday. No GP referral or waiting list.
Right antimalarial chosen for your trip.
Antimalarial dispensed with full dosing instructions.
Start before travel. Finish after you return.
Malaria is present in over 90 countries. Risk and the right antimalarial vary by destinations and seasons.
Recommended antimalarial : Atovaquone/Proguanil or Doxycycline (region-dependent)
An infected Anopheles mosquito injects Plasmodium parasites into the blood stream during a bite. They first migrate to the liver and then invade red blood cells. Highest risk from dusk until dawn.
Symptoms appear 7 to 30 days after a bite, including fever, chills, sweating and headache, like flu. Falciparum malaria progresses rapidly. If fever develops within 1 year of return, seek urgent care.
Branded or less expensive generics that contain the same ingredients. One tablet daily with food; begin 1 to 2 days before travel and continue for 7 days after. Appropriate from 5 kg. Not recommended for breast feeding or severe renal impairment. £2.50 a tablet, Malarone £3.50 a tablet.
A broad-spectrum antibiotic. 80p a capsule, once a day. Started 1 to 2 days before travel, continued 4 weeks after return Not suitable under 12, in pregnancy or breastfeeding, with severe liver impairment, or with a doxycycline or tetracycline allergy.
Started 10 days before travel and continued during and for 4 weeks after return. Not indicated in cases of psychiatric history, epilepsy, black water fever or severe hepatic impairment. Usually avoided in pregnancy, contraindicated in lactation. Prices to be advised.
Atovaquone/proguanil is best tolerated; mild nausea settles within days if taken with food. Doxycycline increases sun sensitivity; wear sunscreen daily. Mefloquine can cause vivid dreams and mood changes; early reaction identification prior to departure is required by starting 10 days earlier.
Start times, durations, costs, and suitability differ; understand your options before your appointment.
Start before travel
1 to 2 days
1 to 2 days
10 days (two doses: 10 days and 2 to 3 days before departure)
Continue after return
7 days
4 weeks
4 weeks
Dosing frequency
Once daily
Once daily
Once weekly
Adult cost
£2.50 / tablet (generic) or £3.50 / tablet
80p / capsule
Confirmed at appointment.
Suitable from
5 kg body weight (5–11kg is off-licence, discussed at appointment)
12 years of age
Weight-based dosing
Key restrictions
Avoid pregnancy, breastfeeding, or renal impaired. Caution with specific drugs. Best for short trips.
Avoid being pregnant, breastfeeding, or hepatic impaired. Avoid Vivotif. Best for budget and long trips.
Avoid psychiatric history, epilepsy, or liver impairment. Contraindicated in breastfeeding. Best for clinical alternatives.
Best suited for
Short trips, last-minute travellers, those needing a short post-travel course
Budget-conscious travellers, longer trips
Travellers unable to take either alternative due to clinical reasons
Travellers to Sub-Saharan Africa
This region carries the highest global malaria burden, with Plasmodium falciparum the dominant species
Visitors returning to their country of origin to see family
Immunity acquired in childhood wanes after time away from the endemic region, leaving returning visitors genuinely vulnerable
Backpackers and rural travellers
Extended time outdoors in endemic regions without screened or air-conditioned sleeping environments
Pregnant travellers
Malaria during pregnancy carries a high risk of serious complications, including severe anaemia, premature delivery, and maternal death
Children under five
Young children are among the most vulnerable to severe and fatal malaria worldwide
Immunocompromised travellers
A weakened immune system reduces the ability to fight parasitic infection, increasing the risk of severe malaria
Last-minute travellers
Those without adequate time to start their antimalarial course at the correct interval before departure may not have full protection on arrival
Mandeep Sandhu is superintendent pharmacist and independent prescriber at Maidstone Travel Clinic with specialist travel health training from NaTHNaC. Mandeep Sandhu is a fully accredited Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre vaccinator, qualified to advise, vaccinate and supply travel medications in one appointment.
Each consultation is personally led, not delegated, not rushed. Patients depart with a plan tailored to their individual trip, not a generic printout.
Atovaquone/proguanil or doxycycline are first-line for most of sub-Saharan Africa. Choice depends on trip length, cost, and health factors, the pharmacist confirms at appointment.
Yes. Same-day and next-day consultations are available. Medication dispensed at the same appointment. For mefloquine, you need at least 10 days before departure.
It depends on the country and region. City risk is generally lower but not always zero. Your pharmacist assesses your specific itinerary rather than applying a blanket recommendation.
Yes. The dose of atovaquone/proguanil and mefloquine is weight-based. Doxycycline is suitable from 12 years. Atovaquone/proguanil: children weighing between 5 kg and 11 kg are dosed off-licence, explained and documented at consultation.
No. All three antimalarials are contraindicated during breastfeeding. Discuss with your pharmacist at consultation as specialist referral may be required.
Yes. Prior infection does not provide lasting immunity. Antimalarial medication and bite prevention are needed regardless of infection history.
Book your appointment online and collect your supplied antimalarial medication ready for you to go on the same day.
