Sorry, drive-by medical advice.

The common medications used for anti-malarial prophylaxis are primaquine, mefloquine (Lariam), and a new medication atovaquone/proguanil (Malarone). Primaquine is not used much any more and therefore, mefloquine has been traditionally the most commonly prescribed anti-malarial medication. Chloroquine is an ancient anti-malarial medication and is no longer used much because of increasing resistance by malaria to it.

Mefloquine is generally well tolerated by most people - its biggest negative is that it has to be begun 1-2 weeks before travel, used throughout travel, and ended 4 weeks after travel concludes. It's also contraindicated with people with psychiatric disease as it may aggravate these conditions.

Malarone is a new medication - it's being primarily used to treat chloroquine/mefloquine resistant malaria. It is also used for malarial prophylaxis. Its biggest advantage is a shorter course of treatment - it's begun 1-2 days before travel, used daily throughout travel, and can be stopped 7 days after finishing travel. It does NOT have the contraindications for psychiatric disease but DOES have an additional contraindication for patients with kidney impairment and pregnant/breastfeeding women.

As always, newer medications have a tendency to be more expensive. They also tend not to be covered by health insurance - your own situation may vary.

FWIW.

Masaki