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Mefloquine Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of mefloquine include anxiety, depression, and anxiety, based on 1,511 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 4.8% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Mefloquine side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for mefloquine.

1
Anxiety11.6%176
2
Depression10.1%153
3
Anxiety8.3%125
4
Insomnia7.8%118
5
Depression7.6%115
6
Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy6.7%101
7
Dizziness6.4%96
8
Suicidal Ideation5.8%88
9
Panic Attack5.6%84
10
Headache5.5%83
11
Fatigue5.1%77
12
Insomnia5.1%77
13
Drug Ineffective4.8%73
14
Paranoia4.8%72
15
Dizziness4.8%72

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that mefloquine caused these reactions.

Report severity

87.8%Serious1,327 reports
32.4%Hospitalizations490 reports
8.9%Fatal135 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Mefloquine drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside mefloquine. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Mirtazapine7.7%117
2
Rituximab3.8%58
3
Cyclophosphamide2.7%41
4
Prednisone1.8%27
5
Hydroxychloroquine-sulfate1.5%23
6
Mycophenolate1.5%23
7
Methylprednisolone1.5%23
8
Prednisolone1.5%22
9
Atovaquone1.3%19
10
Primaquine-phosphate1.3%19
11
Fludarabine-phosphate1.3%19
12
Natalizumab1.3%19
13
Cytarabine1.2%18
14
Proguanil-hydrochloride1.1%17
15
Azathioprine1.0%15

Taken alongside

1
Mirtazapine3.8%57
2
Prednisone1.7%26
3
Aspirin1.5%23
4
Ibuprofen1.4%21
5
Acetaminophen1.4%21
6
Ergocalciferol1.3%20
7
Cidofovir1.3%20
8
Methylprednisolone1.3%19
9
Albuterol1.3%19
10
Ciprofloxacin1.2%18
11
Omeprazole1.1%17
12
Fluticasone1.1%16
13
Insulin1.1%16
14
Diphenhydramine1.0%15
15
Lorazepam0.9%14

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports mefloquine side effects

43.5% of mefloquine adverse event reports involve female patients and 49.0% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 82%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female43.5%
Male49.0%
Unknown7.5%

Age group

< 21.1%
2–111.9%
12–172.4%
18–6481.6%
65+13.1%

What is mefloquine used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking mefloquine when the adverse event was reported.

Adverse EventAnti-infective TherapyAntiviral ProphylaxisAtrioventricular Block CompleteBabesiosisBk Virus InfectionBradycardiaBrain Stem DisorderCentral Nervous System InfectionCerebral DisorderChronic Lymphocytic LeukaemiaCovid-19Cytomegalovirus InfectionDepressionDrug Therapy

Showing 15 of 60 indications

Mefloquine brand names and reporting trend

Mefloquine is sold under the brand name Lariam.

Brand names

Lariam4

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking mefloquine with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.