Several incidences in the recent past call into question the safety of an anti-malarial drug called Lariam. Three Fort Bragg soldiers suspected of killing their wives and a Cambridge student who committed suicide were all taking this anti-malarial drug. Roche says in its product information (once you click on the link, click save to download and open the document) for Lariam that "Lariam should not be prescribed for prophylaxis in patients with active depression, a recent history of depression, generalized anxiety disorder, psychosis or schizophrenia, or other major psychiatric disorders, or with a history of convulsions."
What do governmental agencies say about Lariam?
The CDC says that Lariam (also called mefloquine) should not be taken when:
They also warn that serious side effects can occur. Specifically, they warn that," Mefloquine has very rarely been reported to cause serious side effects, such as seizures, hallucinations, and severe anxiety." The Army and the Food and Drug Administration have both approved the drug. The World Health Organization suggests that travelers with a family history of seizures or manic-depressive illness should avoid Lariam. The families and friends of the soldiers and the student are also questioning the safety of Lariam and the possible role it might have played in the deaths of the soldier's wives.
What is being investigated?
An investigation team will be looking into the deaths of the Fort Bragg soldiers. They are going to spend a week at Fort Bragg to determine whether the anti-malarial drug contributed to the killings. In the case of the student who committed suicide, South Wales Police began an inquiry into her death last week. United Press International August 16, 2002
Telegraph August 26, 2002 Journal of Clinical and Infectious Diseases August 2002 33:1015-21
Lariam was developed by the US Army and introduced for the treatment of malaria in the late 1970s. Lariam was first used for malaria prevention in 1985, and since then approximately 14.5 million people have been prescribed the drug for prevention versus 1.6 million for treatment.
We have known for over ten years that this drug can cause psychiatric problems. It's no coincidence that these soldiers killed their wives. It's a terrible tragedy that our government is willing to sacrifice its own innocent civilians by failing to ignore the well-established clinical history of this potentially dangerous drug.
A recent complete and exhaustive history was just completed regarding Lariam and it is a must read for anyone who is considering taking this drug.