An anti-malarial drug prescribed to military personnel should only be used as a “last resort”, according to MPs.
Hallucinations and psychosis caused widespread concern about Lariam being used in the armed forces.
Now the House of Commons’ Defence Select Committee has recommended the drug is only used when no other alternatives are available.
Moray MP Angus Robertson argued for a total ban on the drug but hailed the news as a big step forward.
He said: “In Moray we have two busy military bases with personnel regularly deployed around the world.
“We all know that when travelling abroad it is necessary to take preventative drugs and receive vaccinations to reduce the risk of serious illness but we also need to know that the drugs being administered are appropriate and that risk for individuals is properly assessed.”
Alternatives to Lariam are already given to personnel serving for the armed forces. The Ministry of Defence has welcomed the committee’s ruling that the drug may still be the most effective way of protecting personnel from Malaria in some cases.
Mr Robertson said: “Serious concerns about their ability to deliver their duty of care which were plainly evident during the committee’s inquiry.
“While Lariam is not always used there are clearly identified risks with its use and I hope that the MoD’s response to this inquiry will limit its use even further to ensure our troops get the best possible care, when it comes to the administering of drugs before and during deployments.”
An MoD spokesman said: “The vast majority of deployed personnel already receive alternatives to Lariam and, where it is used, it is only prescribed after an individual risk assessment.”
