Malaria Tablets in Holborn, London — from £19.99
Ways Pharmacy provides a private malaria prevention service from our GPhC-registered pharmacy (premises number 9012227) at 77 Southampton Row, Holborn WC1 — around two minutes' walk from the British Museum. A pharmacist reviews your itinerary, health and medicines, checks current destination advice and, if antimalarial tablets are recommended and suitable for you, supplies the right course. You can complete the assessment online or in the pharmacy, in English or Chinese (中文).
Malaria prevention at a glance
| Treatment options | Atovaquone/proguanil (adult and paediatric tablets), doxycycline or mefloquine — chosen by the pharmacist for your destination and health |
|---|---|
| Price | From £19.99, depending on the medicine and the length of your trip — no separate consultation fee, free online assessment, and you pay only once the pharmacist confirms the medicine is suitable |
| Who it is for | Travellers going to an area where malaria tablets are recommended; adults and children, subject to the age and weight limits of each medicine |
| How it works | Online questionnaire, ID check and a phone or video call with the pharmacist — or a consultation in the pharmacy. Children can be assessed online with a parent or guardian on the video call |
| Pharmacist assessment | Required before any supply. If antimalarials are not recommended or not suitable for you, none will be supplied |
| Where and when | 77 Southampton Row, London WC1B 4ET · Monday to Friday, 9:00am–6:00pm |
| Language | English and Chinese (中英文服务) |
Start your free online assessment or call 020 8106 7084. Prices and treatment options are listed below.
Do I need malaria tablets for my trip?
It depends on exactly where you are going, not just the country. Malaria risk can differ between regions, cities and rural areas, by altitude and by season, and the recommended tablet can differ too. Before your assessment, look up each country on your itinerary on the TravelHealthPro country pages (run by the UK's National Travel Health Network and Centre). The pharmacist checks the same current guidance during your consultation and chooses a medicine that is recommended for your destinations and suitable for you.
No antimalarial gives complete protection. UK guidance describes malaria prevention as four steps: be Aware of the risk, avoid mosquito Bites, take Chemoprophylaxis (tablets) where recommended, and get a prompt Diagnosis if you become unwell. You will still need insect repellent, covering clothing from dusk to dawn and a bed net where appropriate — see our insect repellents.
Treatment options and prices
| Option | What it is | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atovaquone/proguanil 250mg/100mg (Maloff Protect) | One tablet a day with food or a milky drink. Start 1–2 days before entering the risk area and continue for 7 days after leaving. Adults weighing over 40kg | £55.94 (24 tablets) · £79.99 (36 tablets) | View product |
| Atovaquone/proguanil 250mg/100mg, short-trip pack | The same daily medicine in a smaller pack, for shorter trips or travellers over 40kg who are under 18 | £29.99 (12 tablets) | View product |
| Atovaquone/proguanil paediatric 62.5mg/25mg | Daily tablets for children weighing 11–40kg; the number of tablets depends on body weight | £24.99 (12 tablets) | View product |
| Doxycycline 100mg | One capsule a day. Start 1–2 days before entering the risk area and continue for 4 weeks after leaving. Age 12 and over | £19.99 (50 capsules) · £34.99 (100 capsules) | View product |
| Mefloquine 250mg | One tablet a week. Usually started 2–3 weeks before travel and continued for 4 weeks after leaving. Not suitable for anyone with a history of depression, anxiety, other mental health conditions or epilepsy | £4.50 per tablet | View product |
As an example, a two-week trip needs about 23 atovaquone/proguanil tablets (2 days before, 14 days away, 7 days after) or about 44 doxycycline capsules (2 days before, 14 days away, 28 days after). The pharmacist works out the exact quantity from your dates and confirms the total before supply. Chloroquine and proguanil combinations are not supplied through this service.
Who can use this service
- Travellers going to, through or staying in an area where malaria tablets are recommended by current UK guidance
- People who can give a clear itinerary: countries, regions, dates, type of accommodation and planned activities
- Adults, and children who meet the age and weight limits of the selected medicine. Children can be assessed online: a parent or guardian must join the video call and give the child's current weight
- People with no reason the chosen medicine would be unsafe for them, and who can follow the full course before, during and after travel
Suitable travellers include holidaymakers, business travellers, backpackers, people visiting friends and relatives, and long-stay travellers. People visiting family in their country of origin are often at higher risk, because immunity to malaria fades quickly after moving away.
When you should see a GP or get urgent help instead
- Fever or flu-like illness during or after travel to a malaria area — even if you took tablets correctly and even up to a year after return — needs same-day medical assessment. Call NHS 111 or go to A&E and say where you have travelled. Malaria can become life-threatening within hours.
- Pregnancy, or planning pregnancy: travel to a malaria area should be avoided where possible, and medicine choice needs specialist input. We will refer you.
- Complex or long itineraries across regions with different recommendations, remote expeditions, or stays where risk cannot be established — we may refer you to a specialist travel clinic.
- Significant kidney or liver disease, heart conditions, epilepsy or serious mental health history, or medicines with important interactions (for example some anticoagulants, HIV medicines, rifampicin or metoclopramide) — your GP or a specialist may need to advise.
- A previous serious reaction to an antimalarial.
- Emergency standby treatment for malaria, or treatment of suspected malaria, is not provided by this service.
How it works
- Start your free online assessment. Answer questions about your full itinerary and travel dates, your health history and your current medicines, and confirm your identity (upload photo ID, or show it on a video call). If you are not sure which option suits your trip, call 020 8106 7084.
- Pharmacist reviews and speaks with you. The pharmacist speaks with you by phone or video to confirm whether the medicine is suitable. For anyone under 18, a parent or guardian must join the video call.
- If suitable, choose and pay. The pharmacist confirms which treatment is suitable; you then order and pay online from the price list above, or call 020 8106 7084. If it is not suitable, including when you only receive advice and no medicine, you pay nothing — the pharmacist explains your other options. If you have already paid and treatment is not suitable, you get a full refund.
- We post your medicine — orders approved by 3:00pm on a working day are dispatched the same day (see delivery information) — or you can collect it from Holborn once it is approved.
If the medicine you chose is not suitable, the pharmacist may suggest another option; you only pay once a suitable treatment is confirmed.
Allow time before you travel: atovaquone/proguanil and doxycycline start 1–2 days before entering a risk area, and mefloquine usually 2–3 weeks before. If you also need vaccines, see our travel vaccinations in Holborn.
Why choose Ways Pharmacy
- Prices for each option shown up front, a free online assessment and no separate consultation fee — you only pay once the pharmacist confirms the medicine is suitable
- Assessment online or face to face, in English or Chinese (中文)
- Travel vaccines, altitude sickness tablets and travellers' diarrhoea treatment available from the same pharmacy
- Around two minutes' walk from the British Museum, near Holborn and Russell Square stations
- GPhC-registered pharmacy (premises 9012227); every supply is decided by a registered pharmacist
Frequently asked questions
Which malaria tablet is right for my destination?
It depends on your destination, the length of your stay, your age and weight, your health and your other medicines. Atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline and mefloquine are each recommended for many malaria areas, but not all three suit every person. The pharmacist checks current TravelHealthPro advice for each place on your itinerary and explains the options.
When do I start taking malaria tablets?
Atovaquone/proguanil and doxycycline: 1–2 days before you enter the malaria area. Mefloquine: usually 2–3 weeks before, so that any side effects show up before you travel. All of them must be continued after you leave the area — 7 days for atovaquone/proguanil and 4 weeks for doxycycline and mefloquine.
Why do I have to keep taking them after I come home?
Malaria parasites from a bite near the end of your trip can still be developing in your body after you leave. Completing the post-travel part of the course is part of the protection.
Can children have malaria tablets?
Yes, within the limits of each medicine. Paediatric atovaquone/proguanil is used for children weighing 11–40kg, and doxycycline is used from age 12. The assessment can be done online, but a parent or guardian must join the video call and give the child's current weight, because the dose depends on it.
I am pregnant or breastfeeding. Can I use this service?
Malaria in pregnancy can be very serious for mother and baby, and some antimalarials are not suitable. The pharmacist will discuss this with you and may refer you for specialist advice. A breastfed baby is not protected by the mother's tablets and may need its own.
What are the common side effects?
Atovaquone/proguanil can cause headache, stomach pain, nausea or diarrhoea. Doxycycline can cause indigestion and makes skin more sensitive to sunlight, so use sun protection and take it upright with a full glass of water. Mefloquine can cause dizziness, sleep problems and vivid dreams; stop it and seek medical advice if you notice anxiety, low mood, confusion or other changes in mood or behaviour.
What if I vomit after taking a tablet?
If you vomit within 1 hour of an atovaquone/proguanil dose, take another dose. For other medicines, or if vomiting or diarrhoea continues, ask a pharmacist or doctor, because absorption may be affected.
Do I still need insect repellent?
Yes. Tablets lower the risk but do not remove it. Use an effective repellent, cover up from dusk to dawn, and sleep under a treated net or in screened or air-conditioned rooms where possible.
Is this an NHS service?
No. Ways Pharmacy Holborn is a private pharmacy, and malaria prevention tablets are not available on NHS prescription for travel.
Suspected side effects can be reported through the MHRA Yellow Card Scheme.
This page gives factual information about pharmacy services and medicines. Any medicine is supplied only after a pharmacist has assessed that it is suitable for you.
Ways Pharmacy
77 Southampton Row, Holborn, London WC1B 4ET
Telephone: 020 8106 7084
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9:00am–6:00pm, closed Saturday and Sunday
Around 2 minutes' walk from the British Museum, near Holborn station
GPhC-registered pharmacy premises: 9012227 · About Ways Pharmacy
