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[Sticky] Travel Medicine / Malaria Prevention / Malarone


Michael Gray MD JD
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Yes — many telemedicine providers can handle travel medicine consultations and may prescribe medications like Malarone (atovaquone-proguanil) for malaria prevention, as long as the visit includes an appropriate risk and safety review.

Here’s how it typically works in a telehealth setting:

✅ What telemedicine can usually do

During a virtual visit, the clinician can:

  • Review your travel destination(s) and malaria risk

  • Confirm dates and length of travel

  • Review your medical history, allergies, kidney/liver conditions

  • Check current medications for interactions

  • Determine the safest prevention option

  • Prescribe Malarone electronically to your pharmacy (if appropriate)

Most states allow telehealth prescribing for Malarone because it is not a controlled substance.

💊 When Malarone may be appropriate

Telemedicine providers usually consider Malarone for:

  • Travel to malaria-risk regions (parts of Africa, Asia, South America, Caribbean, Pacific)

  • Short-to-moderate-length trips

  • Travelers who tolerate it and have normal kidney function

Typical preventive schedule (confirm with your clinician):

  • Start 1–2 days before entering malaria-risk area

  • Take daily while traveling

  • Continue for 7 days after leaving the area

⚠️ Situations where telemedicine may NOT prescribe Malarone

An in-person visit or specialist referral may be needed if:

  • Severe kidney disease

  • Pregnancy / breastfeeding

  • Child traveler (weight-based dosing)

  • Long-term travel or relocation

  • Complex multi-country itinerary

  • Prior adverse reaction to malaria meds

Also, telemedicine cannot administer vaccines — things like Yellow Fever, Typhoid injection, or Rabies require an in-person travel clinic.

🧭 Other things travel telemedicine can help with

Often included in the same visit:

  • Traveler’s diarrhea prevention/stand-by treatment

  • Altitude sickness meds (in appropriate cases)

  • Motion sickness treatment

  • Preventive counseling (mosquito measures, food & water safety)

🚑 Important safety note

If you develop fever during or after travel, especially after visiting a malaria area, that is urgent medical care (not routine telemedicine).


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