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Anti-malaria drug used by armed forces and travelers "plausible cause of CNS toxicity syndrome"

Discussion in 'Other health news and research' started by DokaGirl, Apr 13, 2020.

  1. DokaGirl

    DokaGirl Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    3,664
    This controversial drug is still provided to Canadians traveling to areas where malaria is prevalent. Could some with ME have been affected by Mefloquine?

    There is a Canadian law suit involving members of the armed forces re the application of this drug:

    https://www.theglobeandmail.com/pol...quine-poisoning-will-begin-to-be-launched-by/


    "Malaria Prevention, Mefloquine Neurotoxicity, Neuropsychiatric Illness, and Risk-Benefit Analysis in the Australian Defence Force

    Stuart McCarthy

    Additional article information

    Abstract
    The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has used mefloquine for malaria chemoprophylaxis since 1990. Mefloquine has been found to be a plausible cause of a chronic central nervous system toxicity syndrome and a confounding factor in the diagnosis of existing neuropsychiatric illnesses prevalent in the ADF such as posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Overall health risks appear to have been mitigated by restricting the drug's use; however serious risks were realised when significant numbers of ADF personnel were subjected to clinical trials involving the drug. The full extent of the exposure, health impacts for affected individuals, and consequences for ADF health management including mental health are not yet known, but mefloquine may have caused or aggravated neuropsychiatric illness in large numbers of patients who were subsequently misdiagnosed and mistreated or otherwise failed to receive proper care. Findings in relation to chronic mefloquine neurotoxicity were foreseeable, but this eventuality appears not to have been considered during risk-benefit analyses. Thorough analysis by the ADF would have identified this long-term risk as well as other qualitative risk factors. Historical exposure of ADF personnel to mefloquine neurotoxicity now also necessitates ongoing risk monitoring and management in the overall context of broader health policies."

    Side effects of this drug:
    https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/resources/pdf/fsp/drugs/mefloquine.pdf
     
    Sean, Yessica, ScottTriGuy and 2 others like this.
  2. NelliePledge

    NelliePledge Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    13,145
    Location:
    UK West Midlands
    I don’t know if it was this anti malarial in 1999 I went to Sri Lanka the medication was two tablets one type I had to take daily and one once weekly. On the night I took the weekly one I “woke up” “saw” this human sized spider on the ceiling sat up in bed and screamed oh my god waking myself up for real. I have never experienced anything like it in my life before.
     
    DokaGirl and spinoza577 like this.
  3. Tia

    Tia Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    475
    I took one tablet of mefloquine (larium) whilst in Asia several months before my gradual onset ME started (about 22 years ago). I started to feel really depressed so I stopped taking it after that one tablet and switched to doxycycline. I've heard really bad things about mefloquine and would never ever take it again. Who knows if that one tablet affected me.

    I was also in Sri Lanka about this time, I think I took the anti-malarials you're talking about, it wasn't mefloquine but I can't quite remember the names of them.
     
    DokaGirl likes this.

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