Anti-malaria drug causes mental illness among British soldiers

Hundreds of British soldiers posted overseas are suffering from psychological injuries and mental health problems after being given anti-malarial drug.

A figure released by the Ministry of Defense (MoD) in response to a Freedom of Information shows that 994 servicemen have been treated at mental health clinics since 2008.

"The trouble with the [UK] ministry of defense and the same with the Americans is that they think that they can put anything into the veins of their soldiers. Let’s take the invasion of Iraq. To this date, thousands of American soldiers are suffering as the consequences of a cocktail of drugs which is put into the soldiers without anybody really worrying about the consequences and it’s the same with Malaria", London-based political analyst Rodney Shakespeare told Press TV. 

Lariam or mefloquine is an orally administered medication to prevent malaria. The Daily Independent says a retired major-general is one of the victims of Lariam that was given to him prior to his deployment to Sierra Leone.

Maj-Gen Alastair Duncan, who also commanded British forces in Bosnia, is currently in a psychiatric unit, the daily reported.

The Ministry of Defense has been accused of knowingly risking the mental health of its own soldiers. The report says the servicemen were given Lariam despite a warning by Roche which manufactures the drug.

In 2013, the company had written to doctors in Britain that Lariam “may induce potentially serious neuropsychiatric disorders such as hallucinations, psychosis, suicide, suicidal thoughts and self-endangering behavior.

Alternative anti-malarial drugs are available. The US Special Forces Command has already banned its use. Some family member calls it a scandal on the part of the UK defense ministry.

 “Like others, I believe that this is a scandal. If 1,000 troops have reported the effects then you can be sure there are others who have not. I know personally of several and anecdotally of many more,“ The Independent quoted Ellen, wife of Duncan.

Shakespeare also expressed similar concerns saying it goes on until eventually the evidence is piled up to a great degree but of course by then "hundreds thousands of people have been permanently damaged".

"I’m afraid the evidence is quite clear. We have got high level people in the army who are suffering terrible psychological consequences from this. All because the [UK] ministry of defense is simply not going to face up to its responsibilities and this is always the case with the armed forces", he said. 

Despite criticism, hundreds of soldiers are still falling victim to the drug’s side-effects as the MoD continues to give it to its troopers deployed overseas. The figure shows the MoD provided the drug to some 1,892 British personnel in 2014 alone.

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