Malaria tablets in West Hampstead London Travel Clinic

Malaria tablets in West Hampstead at a glance

Malaria is a parasitic infection spread by night-biting Anopheles mosquitoes. It is a leading cause of preventable serious illness in UK travellers, with around 1,500 imported cases reported each year and a small but real fatality rate, particularly from Plasmodium falciparum (the species dominant in sub-Saharan Africa). There is no malaria vaccine routinely available for UK travellers heading abroad, so prevention rests on bite avoidance plus antimalarial tablets (chemoprophylaxis).

Pharmacist-prescribed on-site, no GP referral

Aqua Travel Clinic is a GPhC-registered pharmacy. Our pharmacists can prescribe and dispense antimalarials on-site under a Patient Group Direction or Patient Specific Direction. You do not need to see a GP first, you do not need a separate pharmacy collection trip, and you do not need to wait for a private prescription to clear. Consultation, drug selection, prescription and supply all happen in the same 15 to 20 minute appointment in West Hampstead.

The three first-line antimalarials

Public Health England's Guidelines for malaria prevention in travellers from the UK list three first-line options for UK travellers, each with a different dosing schedule, side-effect profile and cost. The pharmacist will recommend the right one for your trip.

Atovaquone-proguanil (Malarone®): one tablet daily, started 1 to 2 days before entering the malaria area and continued for 7 days after leaving. Generally the best-tolerated option, with the shortest pre and post-travel dosing window. Suitable for short trips and for travellers who want minimal side effects. Not for severe kidney impairment.

Doxycycline: one 100mg capsule daily, started 1 to 2 days before entering the malaria area and continued for 4 weeks after leaving. The lowest-cost option, particularly useful for longer trips. Side effects can include increased sun sensitivity (sunscreen essential) and stomach upset (take with food and a full glass of water, do not lie down for 30 minutes). Not for pregnant or breastfeeding travellers, or children under 12.

Mefloquine (Lariam®): one tablet weekly, started 2 to 3 weeks before entering the malaria area and continued for 4 weeks after leaving. Weekly dosing makes it convenient for long trips, but neuropsychiatric side effects (vivid dreams, anxiety, depression) mean it is not recommended for travellers with a history of mental health conditions, epilepsy or cardiac arrhythmias. The pharmacist will screen carefully for suitability.

NaTHNaC region-specific guidance

Not every malaria-risk country needs tablets in every region or in every season. NaTHNaC's country-specific advice (and the underlying PHE Guidelines) break each destination down by region and altitude. For example, in Kenya the coastal strip and Lake Victoria basin are high-risk year-round but Nairobi and the highlands above 2,500m are very low risk. In Thailand, only specific forested border areas with Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos need tablets, the rest of the country including Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai does not. The pharmacist will check your exact itinerary against the latest NaTHNaC guidance, not just the country name.

How the appointment works at Aqua

Book online and come to 59 Mill Lane, West Hampstead. The pharmacist takes a short travel history (destination, dates, rural or urban, altitude), reviews your medical history and current medication for any interactions, and confirms there are no contraindications. You walk out with the right tablets, a written dosing schedule and bite-avoidance advice. Total appointment time is around 15 to 20 minutes.

Bite avoidance still matters

No antimalarial is 100% effective. The pharmacist will brief you on DEET or picaridin repellent (50% DEET on exposed skin), permethrin-treated clothing for evening and night, and a permethrin-treated bed net if your accommodation is not air-conditioned or screened. Combined with tablets, bite avoidance dramatically reduces your risk.

What to do if you get a fever after returning

Malaria can present any time from 7 days after first exposure up to 12 months (occasionally longer) after returning. Any unexplained fever after travel to a malaria area is a medical emergency until malaria has been ruled out by a blood film. The pharmacist will give you written advice on what to do and where to go.

Book your appointment

Aqua Travel Clinic is at 59 Mill Lane, West Hampstead NW6 1NB, one minute from West Hampstead station. The clinic is operated by Aqua Pharmacy (GPhC premises 1123406), part of Naspram Pharma Limited. All consultations are supervised by Superintendent Pharmacist Sanjay Mukundkumar Patel (GPhC 2045157). Book a malaria tablets appointment online or call us. Most travellers are seen within the same week.