Medical policy in the Defence Forces is kept under constant review to ensure that best practice is adhered to at all times. As I indicated to the Deputy in response to the Private Members' Motion of the 28th June 2017 regarding the anti-malarial drug Lariam, and on other occasions, the use of anti-malarial drugs is a medical matter to be decided by medical professionals. In the Defence Forces, these are matters for highly qualified medical officers having regard to the specific circumstances of the mission and the individual member of the Defence Forces.
There are three anti-malarial drugs, namely Lariam, Malarone and Doxycycline which continue to be used by the Defence Forces. The selection by a Medical Officer of the most appropriate drug for use is a complex one and dependent on a number of factors. Significant precautions are taken by the Medical Officers in assessing the medical suitability of personnel to take any of the anti-malarial medications. It is the policy of the Defence Forces that personnel are individually screened for fitness for service overseas and medical suitability for all missions, and not just those to sub-Saharan Africa.
The decision on which medication to prescribe will continue to be made by the examining Medical Officer following consultation with the individual during their overseas deployment assessment.