Lariam news 54

A year ago Bryony Miles was an outgoing straight-A student, but a holiday to Africa changed her life and today she is undergoing psychiatric treatment in a Somerset hospital. Now her desperate family tell reporter Marc Cooper why they are calling for a ban on Lariam, a leading anti-malaria drug.

"I AM not doing very well right now, " said 20 year-old Bryony Miles, her voice slow and movements sluggish.

"It all started when my lips peeled off, and now I am suffering from severe mental and neurological problems - it is very difficult to bear." Miss Miles is in a psychiatric hospital at Summerlands, Yeovil, where she takes each day as it comes and tries to make sense of the past year.

Twelve months ago she was enjoying her first year at university after a string of A-grade A-levels, and was looking forward to an exciting trip to Africa.

But within weeks of taking a leading anti-malaria drug called Lariam Bryony was rushed home and into Yeovil District Hospital.

Since then Bryony has been forced to quit her studies to spend more time in hospital.

She said: "I think it is important that the drug is banned - I have spent weeks without even being able to move.

"There is not enough recognition about Lariam and there should be more public awareness."

Despite concerns about its side effects and reports of high levels of suicides among its takers Lariam is a leading anti-malaria drug used by more than 25 million people.

The Government's Medicines Control Agency says it knows of more than 2,000 adverse reactions to Lariam.

Its maker Neroche warns users to watch out for adverse reactions but says the drug is safe.

A Neroche spokesman said:

"Lariam is the drug of choice for the prevention and treatment of malaria by leading public health authorities, including the World Health Organisation." But Bryony Miles' family, from Stourton Caundle near Sherborne, want more research done on a drug they say has ruined their daughter's life.

Her father Richard Miles said:"Bryony has really been suffering.

She is like a zombie - she has muscular problems and will suddenly lose all control.

"The makers do warn you of the side effects but we think control should be tighter. In the United States last July they made it stricter to get. But that was months after Bryony took them and now she wishes she had never touched the stuff.

"There should be clearer warnings. Our girl used to be top of her class, but now her brain just cannot work." This week an inquest at Cambridge heard how undergraduate Vanessa Brunt, aged 22, killed herself after Lariam tablets made her severely depressed.

The court heard how Miss Brunt changed from a "bright and vivacious young woman" into one with a "haunted expression in her eyes".

FACT FILE

Malaria is spread by the bite of mosquitos and affects 300-500 million people worldwide every year, claiming more than 1.5 million lives;

More than 90 countries are at risk, home to more than two billion people;

Early malaria symptoms can be a headache, muscle aches, diarrhoea, fever, chills, vomiting, coughing and abdominal pain.

The symptoms of more advanced malaria are liver failure, kidney failure, fluid in the lungs, convulsions, coma, death; and

The Department of Health says travellers should always contact their GP for advice before setting off.