Can malarone tablets be crushed?
 

I haven't come across any information regarding this question. We're planning on going to Siem Reap July 2008. My 10 year old son has difficulty swallowing pills. Can the malarone be crushed and given with applesauce or something else? If not, how big is the pill?

I don't know of any reason they could not be crushed (that is, they are not time-release), but I would certainly ask your travel med doc. The adult malarone are not large, and there are pediatric-dose tablets for kids. I'm just getting ready to post some new info on malarone, so do read that post. You should definitely take it with food.

it might depend on whether it is "enteric" coated....if it is the intent is for it to disolve in your stomach....so then it should not be crushed...

My 11 yo son took the pediatric tablets. They were fairly small. As I recall they were not "enteric" coated.

Brilliant! I've been waiting for a thread like this to come up. I thought I was the only one who ever had this come up.

Some history: I have major issues swallowing large pills (in fact, I almost choked last year on one--a very frightening experience, but a different story for a different time.) So, we asked our travel doctor before we left for Thailand last year which of the pills could and couldn't be crushed.

My biggest concern was the Malarone since, to me, it looked like a horse pill. Luckily, Malarone can, indeed, be crushed.

I had to do it every morning for 2 weeks on our trip to SE Asia last year. Actually, a very nice waiter at our hotel in Siem Reap who must've felt so bad for this odd American guy fidgeting with his spoon every morning trying to crush a pill--which is not the easiest thing in the world, let me tell ya--started doing it for me. He'd come over in the morning, grab the pill from the bottle on the table and get this huge cleaver from the kitchen and crush the pill for me. Ahh, I miss that Asian hospitality. :)

So yes, rest assured that you can crush Malarone pills. Now the bad news: the taste is somewhat akin to a mouthful of acidic chalk...or what I imagine alum might taste like. I put it in yogurt to try and mask the foulness. No way around it though...it's plain nasty. Best suggestion is to swallow it as quickly as possible...and then drinks lots of water.

You might want to consider visiting a compounding pharmacy to have your Malarone turned into liquid form (they can flavor it pretty much anyway you like) as I'm sure that'd taste much better.

Hope this helps...happy travels!

Ah, yes, that fabulous Asian hospitality! Thanks for the info, Bill.

Thanks so much for the replies. I am so glad to hear the malarone can be crushed, otherwise it would be a major ordeal to get my son to try to swallow it.

Just a question since we are leaving in a little over a month to go to Tahiland-what is malarone for?? Thanks Chris
I go into the travel doc next week

chris it is for malaria....only needed in certain places....

As Bob says, Malarone is an antimalarial. In Thailand, only a few places are considered malarial risk, basically the border areas with Burma, Cambodia and Laos. I don't remember where you are going, but if you are going to Siem Reap, Cambodia or Luang Prabang, Laos, those are malarial risk areas.

Have you read up on immunizations and other travel health issues? Take a look at www.cdc.gov/travel

From: http://www.gskvaccines.com/Malarone/KeyFeatures.html >> prescribing information.

"MALARONE Tablets may be crushed and mixed with condensed milk just prior to administration for children who may have difficulty swallowing tablets." ((*))

Thanks Jed- condensed milk is all over Thailand and my son will love a spoonful of that stuff!

Thanks-I got a call from my medical ins & need to go next week for a polio shot & some pills. My husband took the message so not sure what pills. We are going to BKK-Bali-Pattaya & then the Northern part of Thailand-Its getting closer & I'm getting more excited-Chris

Hey, Jed, you'll be interested in the info in my post on taking malarone.

I am interested. Please advise where it is. ((*))

Jed, It's called "New info on how to take Malarone" I'll top it for you.

Got it. Thanks. ((*))

For everyone: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35055884