This medicine is to give some degree of protection against malaria in certain countries. Some types of malaria require that you take more than one type of tablet, at the same time, to help prevent malaria. Malaria prophylaxis is recommended for non immune residents and travellers to malarious areas as these individuals have little or no immunity to malaria and risk severe attacks. You should ask your doctor or pharmacist if these are the right anti-malarials for the part of the world you are visiting.
Adults: Two tablets taken once a week, on the same day each week. Children: The following single dose taken once a week on the same day each week. 1-4 years Half a tablet, 5-8 years one tablet, 9-14 years one and a half tablet. Adults and children: Start
You should make sure that you carefully read all product packaging and labels prior to use
Each tablet contains Chloroquine Phosphate Ph. Eur. 250mg (equivalent of 155mg of chloroquine base) The tablets contain a number of inactive ingredients which allow it to be made, these are maize starch and magnesium stearate.
Before taking your medicine tell your doctor or pharmacist if: you have ever had problems with your liver or kidneys, you have ever been told you have porphyria or anyone in your family has, Avloclor may cause severe symptoms if you drink alcohol, you have epilepsy, or a history of convulsions, seizures, or fits, you have psoriasis (a scaly condition of the skin), you are pregnant or suspect you are pregnant, you are breast feeding (your baby will still need to be given anti-malarial treatment and you should consult your doctor or pharmacist for appropriate advice). If you suffer from any fever (high temperature) during or after visiting a country where malaria occurs, you should contact your doctor immediately.
As with all medicines, undesirable events are sometimes experienced. When Avloclor is used in the prevention of malaria, if used for a long time they can be serious. For Avloclor these include: Headache, stomach upset, skin rash or itch, hair discolouration or hair loss, blurring of vision or difficulty in focusing your eyes, convulsions or fits, mood changes or other effects on behaviour, changes in your blood which may make you bruise easily, get serious infections, feel very tired or breathless or may give your skin and eyes a yellow colour (due to liver problem); severe rash with peeling or blistering skin sometimes with ulceration of mucus membranes (for example, the inside of your mouth and nose). Stop taking Avloclor and contact your doctor immediately in the following situation: If you develop difficulty in breathing with or without swelling of the face, lips tongue or throat which may cause difficulty in swallowing. If you develop urticaria (itchy skin rash, nettle rah or hives).