Malaria Pill Shopping (Malarone)

Hello All,

I think this might be an actual, new question.... Here is the good 'ole USA, malaria pills (malarone) are ridiculously expensive (at discount, $5.35 per pill) and I will need 30 tabs. A prescription is also needed (which I have).

My question is this: Has anyone tried buying malarone in Arusha or Zanzibar? Or, if I purchase in London (on stop-over), are they less expensive and readily available?

Many thanks in advance for any and all comments!

caraz,
I dont know about Arusha, or Zanzibar, but a few years ago it was way cheaper in London than in the US. I don't remember how much they were, I do know it was well worth waiting to buy them there... no problem with a prescription.

dean

Malarone is not licensed for sale in Tanzania, I have heard one report of someone getting it on the black market in Arusha. It may be available at some clinks or NGOs for treatment of diagnosed cases of malaria.

Your American prescription is only good in the US and, in many cases, only in the state in which it was written. You will need a UK prescription to buy it in London. Some folks have reported getting good prices for Malarone at Costco.

To compare the prices, this is not the chepeast one in London, but not the most expensive one either

Tropical Health Clinic London

If you're going to a malarial area, then you need to start treatment before you go...I did lowest dose, to avoid side effects, plus a good mosquito net, you should be OK..

hi,
Malarone treatment starts one day before.
Don't know the price in London, in Spain thee price es 56 euros (76 usd) for 12 pils, so price in Europe an Usa are clouse to the same.

And no, you can not by Malarone in Tanzania

If price is an issue, have you considered taking doxycycline?

It's much cheaper (in the UK at least) and is a mild antibiotic so (in my experience) can protect you against traveller's diarrhoea.

The downside is that you need to take it for longer after your trip, and it increases your susceptibility to sunburn so you'll have to use sunblock.

We bought some over the internet. I had a friend of mine who is a pharmacist check out the site and she said it was
fine. You needed to send the prescription to them by snail mail/

Frances

The price in the UK (last year) was about £2.30 a pill, so similar to the US, but your US prescription won't be valid.

I have used a UK-based internet pharmacy before, so your best bet is to find a US-based internet pharmacy.

This sort of question is asked with monotonous regularity on this branch, and I think you can only get malarone in South Africa and maybe Kenya, but the prices are the same as elsewhere and you still need a prescription. Pharmaceutical companies aren't stupid, they've priced it the same everywhere precisely to avoid people buying the drug cheaper locally.