The anti-malaria drug Lariam can have serious side effects (Picture: Alamy)
The Ministry of Defence has settled a nine-year legal case relating to the controversial use of the anti-malaria drug Lariam out of court, awarding a “substantial sum” to hundreds of claimants.
More than 600 service personnel claimed to have suffered physical and psychological side effects of the drug, which was regularly prescribed to troops deployed to countries with a high malaria risk between 2007 and 2015.
Lariam has been linked to severe depression and other mental illnesses.
In a statement, the MOD addressed the criticism it had received over many years for issuing the drug to troops.
“The Ministry of Defence takes the health and welfare of our personnel very seriously, taking every possible precaution to ensure their safety – including protecting them against malaria, a potentially fatal disease,” said an MOD spokesperson.
According to government figures, at least 17,000 members of the Armed Forces were previously prescribed Lariam.
The drug is used to help prevent people from contracting malaria, a disease which causes serious illness and, in severe cases, can be fatal.
It is usually taken weekly in tablet form and was mostly issued to British troops deploying to sub-Saharan Africa, although it was also given to personnel deploying to Afghanistan.
Other possible side effects of the drug include nausea, dizziness and hallucinations.
British troops deployed to Sierra Leone in 2015 were prescribed Lariam
Hilary Meredith Solicitors, representing a class action suit by former service personnel allegedly suffering from the consequences of taking Lariam, says the out-of-court settlement was “substantial”.
“After a nine-year legal battle and some very dark moments along the way, I am delighted to confirm that this landmark legal action has now settled out of court,” said Hilary Meredith-Beckham, chair of Hilary Meredith Solicitors.
“I would like to pay tribute to the bravery of our clients – cast aside by the MOD – they put their faith in me to deliver justice.”
However, the law firm has complained of a “gagging clause to prevent the details becoming public.”
The MOD has defended its handling of the case.
“The majority of this case took place under the previous government,” it said in a statement.
“Litigation ended in October 2024, when the damages for over 400 claims in relation to the prescription of Lariam many years ago were settled, avoiding a costly and time-consuming trial.
“As any legal professional knows, it is a usual feature of the settlement terms that both parties agree not to publicly disclose the damages awarded to claimants and to suggest anything otherwise is disingenuous.”
MOD under fire
Despite the settlement, Hilary Meredith Solicitors were critical of the MOD’s handling of the case, which they argue took too long to resolve.
“This case could have been settled within five years,” said Hilary Meredith-Beckham.
“It was complex involving the causal effects of the tablet on each individual soldier and, in fairness, we suffered the Covid years in the middle, but nine years is outrageous.”
“As well as our clients, it is the taxpayer who pays the price when the defendant is a government body.”
The MOD introduced a new policy on prescribing anti-malarial drugs in 2016, and records show it only prescribed Lariam four times between October 2024 and March 2025, after a risk assessment.
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