Author: Unknown

PATIENT INFORMATION LEAFLET
‘AVLOCLOR’ TABLETS
Trade Mark

Uses
'Avloclor' (chloroquine phosphate) is recommended for the prevention (prophylaxis) of malaria.

Dosage and Administration to help prevent Malaria 'Avloclor' tablets contain 250 mg of Chloroquine Phosphate BP. The inactive ingredients of 'Avloclor' tablets are magnesium stearate and maize starch. Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to either of these ingredients.

Start taking your tablets at least one day before entering a malarious area. You must continue during the visit and for 4 weeks after leaving the area. It is very important to follow these recommendations.

'Avloclor' tablets should be taken after food.

Adults: (including the elderly): Two tablets taken once a week, on the same day each week.

Children: Children should be given their dose of 'Avloclor' (see the following table), once a week, on the same day each week.

I - 4 years : 1/2 tablet weekly
5 - 8 years : I tablet weekly
9 - 14 years I l/2 tablets weekly
Over 14 years: Adult dose weekly

For a young child, the dose may be administered crushed and mixed with milk, honey or jam.

People who live permanently in malarious areas may acquire partial immunity to malaria and they should obtain individual medical advice before starting malaria prophylaxis.

Malaria prophylaxis is recommended for residents without partial immunity and for travellers to malarious areas as these individuals have little or no immunity to malaria and risk severe attacks.

Precautions
The first time that you take 'Avloclor' you may have blurred vision. Do not drive or operate machinery if this happens to you. If you suffer from either liver or kidney problems or from psoriasis, porphyria (or if anyone in your family has porphyria) or epilepsy, you should take medical advice before taking 'Avloclor'.

Are you pregnant or trying to become pregnant? If so, consult your doctor.

Are you breast feeding? Your baby will still need to be given antimalarial treatment and you should consult your doctor or pharmacist for appropriate advice.

Prolonged administration of 'Avloclor' may very rarely lead to eye damage; if any problems occur with the eyes you should seek immediate medical advice. People taking 'Avloclor' at weekly intervals for the prevention of malaria, for more than three years, should ask their doctor when to have an eye test.

Patients taking 'Avloclor' daily (for conditions other than the prevention of malaria), for more than a year should have eye tests every three months.

Your doctor may advise you to have blood tests if you are taking 'Avloclor' for a long time.

If you accidentally take too many tablets see a doctor immediately.

Undesirable Events
As with all medicines, undesirable events are sometimes experienced. With 'Avloclor' these may include:

•	headache
•	stomach upset

Other events may sometimes be experienced infrequently or following use for a long period of time:

•	skin rash or itch
•	hair discolouration or hair loss
•	blurring of vision or difficulty in focusing your eyes
•	convulsions or fits
•	mood changes or other effects on behaviour

Do not be alarmed by this list of possible events. You may not have any of them.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you think you have any of these or any other problems with the tablets.

Important Additional Information (Malaria Prevention)
Malaria can be fatal. It is essential to take medical advice on which antimalarial drugs are appropriate. For some countries, 'Avloclor' may not be suitable or may have to be taken with another drug to give maximum protection.

No medication can be guaranteed to protect against malaria in every case. Any traveller becoming ill either when visiting a malarious region or after returning home should suspect malaria and seek medical advice as soon as possible.

In addition to taking antimalarial drugs it is advisable to take other measures. Protect against mosquito bites by wearing light-coloured long-sleeved clothing and long trousers, when out of doors after sunset. Use insect repellent creams on parts of the body not covered by clothing. Sleep in a properly screened room or under a mosquito net. Spray to kill any mosquitoes that may have entered rooms in spite of screening.

ZENECA Limited
Macclesfield	Cheshire	   United Kingdom
9/IE/UK/1016167	  P2138308