Malaria vaccine casues permanent brain damage

May 27, 2004 10:07 AM

In the can-anything-else-go-wrong file, US Troops suffer from permanent brain damage after being administered malaria treatment. For as big a logistical challenge a war might be, and technological advances in mass support systems, you'd think the joint-forces would do a better job?
posted by omidius (11 comments total)

Doh. In all fairness, Larium isn't that bad -- it's mentioned in the article as giving people suicidal thoughts: in my own experience, it just caused some incredibly fucked up dreams.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 11:26 AM on May 27, 2004

I blame Halliburton.
posted by jammer at 11:41 AM on May 27, 2004

I've known people who have taken Larium when traveling in Asia. Hard core badness. Nightmares, paranoia, nausea, and my favorite, "recurring disturbing thoughts that refuse to leave the mind." And now we see permanent brain damage.

I see this as being consistent with the pentagon's long-standing policy of prioritizing the mission of the moment over the safety of our soldiers. To the dgree of reckless disregard. Two examples off the top of my head are Agent Orange, and depleted uranium shells--cases of which our soldiers slept on during the first gulf war.
posted by squirrel at 11:41 AM on May 27, 2004

I briefly tried larium, with minor ill effect ( some kooky dreams). I find malarone much better, as long as you remember to take it every day. Come to think of it, i LIKED the kooky dreams... oh well maybe I can get a new prescription.
posted by Duck_Lips at 11:51 AM on May 27, 2004

It's not just the Pentagon - the Peace Corps also gives Lariam to many of its volunteers.
posted by junkbox at 12:08 PM on May 27, 2004

I wonder how many millions of lives have been saved by Lariam and related drugs. There are about two million deaths as a result of malaria annually: almost all of them in populations that have no access to antimalarial drugs.
posted by mr_roboto at 12:35 PM on May 27, 2004

Told you so.
posted by xowie at 1:55 PM on May 27, 2004

If the people who claim the Government can't do things like schools, roads, trash hauling, other infrastructure.....why is the Government gonna run a military any better?
posted by rough ashlar at 3:32 PM on May 27, 2004

Larium is not a vaccine, it's prophylaxis. I took it for months. I only suffered minor brain damage. The warnings are all over the packaging. You takes your chances.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:46 PM on May 27, 2004

I too suffered damage from taking larium. Unfortunately, the warnings on the label are economical with the truth, to say the least...

that being said, this isn't a new story... why is the U.S. and Canada so slow to get with the program?
posted by sunexplodes at 7:46 AM on May 28, 2004

I took this before going to work in India - just nausea, no brain damage - well... none that I am able to recognize. My wife's opinion might vary.
posted by bashos_frog at 8:35 AM on May 28, 2004