Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 October 2012
181. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Defence the persons within the army that were prescribed the 27,392 Doxycycline anti-malaria tablets issued between 2006 and 2012 and not another anti-malaria drug; if rank, unit, health status, duties, age, marital status, and length of time served or prescribing MO determine which anti-malaria tablets were prescribed to whom. [47115/12]
View answerThe military authorities advise that “health status” is the only factor from the list above that is relevant to the determination as to the choice of anti-malaria tablet to be prescribed to personnel in the Defence Forces. A number of other factors must be considered. The choice of chemoprophylaxis medication depends on the risk of malaria in the destination, resistance to particular drugs, the profile of the traveller (contra-indications, underlying health conditions, purpose of travel), the duration of travel and finally adherence issues. Doxycycline is licensed for use by the Irish Medicines Board. It has to be taken in the absence of dairy products. It has a daily dosing regime. It can cause minor but troublesome gastrointestinal side effects in some individuals. It can also produce sun-sensitivity skin rashes (akin to severe sun burn) and this is particularly significant when used in sunny climates. For this reason it is not recommended for first line use by the Defence Forces in sub-Saharan Africa. It is the anti-malaria chemoprophylaxis of first choice by the Defence Forces in some geographic regions, for example Afghanistan.
By way of clarification, the figure of 27,392 Doxycycline tables referred to, relates to the number of Doxycycline tablets purchased by the Brigade Medical Services since 2006 and not to the number of tablets issued to Defence Forces personnel. As indicated in my written response to an earlier Parliamentary Question on the matter from the Deputy, information is being compiled on the number of Doxycycline tablets issued and I will forward this collated information to the Deputy when it becomes available.
