Anti malaria pills - buy in UK or Canada/USA

Yes, these are available without prescription at pharmacies(drug stores). At least they were in Ireland when I last bought them. You might have to order them so leave enough time for this.
Check the WHO(World Health Organisation) website to find out which locations you need them for so you dont take take them when you dont need them. Also you have to start taking them some time before you enter the Malaria risk region and for some time afterwards. I forget how much time. I think it is one week before and 4 after.

I havent heard of it being a bad idea to drink alcohol while taking doxycycline.

A friend told me he payed $20 (US I presume) for 3 month trip supply in Canada. I dont know how much they cost in the UK.

Malaria prevention drugs are harsh on the body. Be sure to only use them for travelling in areas with a reasonably high Malaria risk. If you can afford it buy Malarone. It has fewer side effects and you only have to take it for a week after leaving the Malaria risk region. If you use doxycycline then your skin will become more sensitive to being burnt by the sun so use a higher factor sun cream than you usually need. Reply to this

Doxycycline is the cheapest but I'd have to second Mel on being very careful about getting sunburnt when taking it. It can also make you're skin very dry and, if you haven't taken it before, be aware it does make some people sick - I physically couldn't take doxycycline when I was travelling and used malarone when I was in asia, it is a lot more expensive but is generally less likely to have bad side effects. Reply to this

Katherine, how much more does Malarone actually cost? Is it very expensive?
I am thinking about taking that for my trip to India next December instead of Doxycycline. We are only going to India for 18 days so it may be better to get that than to have to take doxy for weeks after such a short trip. Reply to this

It's about £2.50 per tablet at one a day while you're there, two days before and a week or so after. I took it in India for a three week trip and had no side effects whatsoever, plus you don't have to be taking pills for a month after. Reply to this

For 90 days that would make it £250 pounds for me, which is too much for a trip this length.
That's why I'm wondering if it's cheaper to buy in Canada. Of course, I could get it in Bangkok but then I'll already be in SE Asia, which defeats the purpose of having the pills in the first place. Also, some have expressed concern over dodgy tablets and storage conditions in SE Asia. Reply to this

So, most pharmacies in Canada (Vancouver/Toronto) should have them - even to order I'd imagine it would be available the next day surely?
Seems like Canada will be 1/4 price of what they cost here... Reply to this

Generally the advice is to visit the NHS Fit for Travel website and navigate to the country of your choice - there you will find a link to a malaria map for that country - if you are visiting any areas on that map coloured dark red (significant risk) then you should go back to the country information page and at the foot see the "Malaria Precautions" heading where it will list the anti malaria tablets that are most effective for that country.

In the UK, getting a prescription for malaria tablets can be difficult - some doctors will not give a consultation and you have to go a travel clinic for a private prescription (which costs money before even buying the malaria pills).

I have found the most convenient method is to research the malaria pills you need using the NHS website, then use a legal online prescription service that provides the prescription AND the malaria tablets online as well. Reply to this