Lariam




		Lariam - Mefloquine © 1996 - 2004 PFPC



		Latest News: June 15, 2005 UPI honored for GI malaria-drug reporting June 2, 2005 Lariam and Iraq Casualties March 4, 2005 Lariam increases psychiatric events More info on F- drugs =============== Lariam is: (R, S)-(±)-a-2-piperidinyl-2,8-bis (trifluoromethyl)-4-quinolinemethanol hydrochloride Lariam is Mefloquine. Lariam is an antimalarial agent. Like so many other fluorinated drugs, the drug induces depression. Already in 1998 Australian Health Authorities had alerted to this fact (1), but it wasn’t until 2002 that the FDA issued an advisory (2), and the Lariam product info was adjusted and the medical profession notified of suicide risks. “Lariam is contraindicated for prophylaxis in people with active depression, a recent history of depression, generalized anxiety disorder, psychosis, schizophrenia or other major psychiatric disorders, or with a history of convulsions.” UPI has reported repeatedly on the severe mental problems caused by Lariam, including suicide (3). ==================================== 1) Australian Adverse Drug Reactions Bulletin - "Depression - could it be the drug?" Volume 17, Number 1, February 1998 http://www.health.gov.au/tga/docs/html/aadrbltn/aadr9 802.htm 2) FDA Medwatch (2002) http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/SAFETY/2002/lariam_de ardoc.pdf 3) UPI Investigations: http://upi.com/lariam.cfm ====================================== MORE INFO: UPI Investigations: “Since March 2002, UPI reporters Mark Benjamin and Dan Olmsted have been investigating severe mental problems associated with Lariam, a drug that has been prescribed to 5 million Americans and 25 million people worldwide” (1). Read more... ================================ FDA Medwatch (2003) http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/SAFETY/2003/Lariam_PI. pdf US Patent: 4,579,855 Bomches H, Hardegger B - Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. (Nutley, NJ) “Melfloquin hydrochloride” Lariam Action USA - Litigation http://LariamInfo.homestead.com/ SEE ALSO: "The Nightmare Drug,” "Fifth Estate," CBC TV, Canada, October 16, 2002 van Riemsdijk MM, Sturkenboom MC, Ditters JM, Tulen JH, Ligthelm RJ, Overbosch D, Stricker BH - “Low body mass index is associated with an increased risk of neuropsychiatric adverse events and concentration impairment in women on mefloquine” Br J Clin Pharmacol. 57(4):506-12 (2004) MEDLINE van Riemsdijk MM, Ditters JM, Sturkenboom MC, Tulen JH, Ligthelm RJ, Overbosch D, Stricker BH - “Neuropsychiatric events during prophylactic use of mefloquine before travelling” Eur J Clin Pharmacol 58(6):441-5 (2002) FULL TEXT RX Info: http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic2/mefloq.htm Physics: Trifluoromethyl radical (CF3) http://physics.nist.gov/cgi-bin/Ionization/table.pl?ioniza tion=CF3