Unfortunately,

many travelers avoid taking appropriate malaria medication. An important

factor contributing to this failure is the concern about the side effects

associated with antimalarials.

A new scientific

study shows that Malarone(TM) (atovaquone and proguanil HCI) Tablets,

the newest preventive medication, is effective at preventing malaria and

better tolerated than another medication called Lariam(R) (mefloquine,

Roche Pharmaceuticals).

There have

been reports linking Lariam to neuropsychiatric side effects, which have

caused many travelers to use less-effective alternatives or to avoid taking

antimalarials altogether.

Scientific study shows

Malarone is better tolerated

Travelers should

be aware that there are safe and effective options to prevent this serious

health threat. A recent study published in a leading medical journal,

Clinical Infectious Diseases, compared the side effects of two antimalarial

drugs: Lariam and Malarone.

The scientific

study showed that Malarone has significantly fewer neuropsychiatric side

effects such as strange or vivid dreams, insomnia, dizziness, anxiety

and depression, than Lariam. In addition, researchers found that travelers

taking Malarone were more likely to complete their prescribed post-travel

course of the medication, therefore lowering their risk of developing

malaria. This could be because of Malarone's convenient post-travel dosing:

travelers need to take Malarone for only seven days upon returning from

their trips compared to four weeks of Lariam.

"In my

experience, many travelers are hesitant to take an antimalarial because

of stories they heard about side effects associated with some antimalarials,

like Lariam," said David Overbosch, M.D., lead investigator of the

study. "That is why it is critical for travelers to speak to their

doctor and learn about the different antimalarial options available, like

Malarone, which is well tolerated."

Malarone(TM)

(atovaquone and proguanil HCI) Tablets is recommended by the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention as a first-line option to prevent malaria,

including in areas of chloroquine resistance.

Malarone is

indicated in adults and children for the prevention and treatment of acute,

uncomplicated malaria caused by P. falciparum, the parasite responsible

for the vast majority of malaria deaths each year.

Malarone is

contraindicated for prophylaxis of P. falciparum malaria in people with

severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance <30 mL/min).

When planning

your next trip, make your health a priority see your physician or a travel

medicine expert before departing. For more information on risks of malaria

and Malarone, access the World Wide Web at www.malarone.com or

call 1-888-825-5249.

The most commonly

reported adverse events possibly attributable to Malarone include headache

and abdominal pain in adults and headache, abdominal pain and vomiting

in pediatric patients, all of which occurred at rates comparable to placebo.

SIDE BAR: Important

Facts About Malaria

* Malaria,

transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito, causes 300

to 500 million infections worldwide and several million deaths each year

* Malaria occurs

in over 100 countries worldwide, placing nearly 40 percent of the world's

population at risk. Large areas of Central and South America, Hispaniola

(Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast

Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania are considered malaria-risk areas

* If not promptly

treated, malaria may cause kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion,

coma, and death. Some types of malaria can relapse; some parasites can

rest in the liver for months or even years after an infected mosquito

bites a person

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