Maloff Protect anti-malaria tablets are now available to buy from pharmacies, after previously only being available to purchase with a prescription.
The news follows a successful public consultation, where members of the public were asked to contribute their say on the availability of the product.
The tablets will be available to adults aged over 18 weighing more than 40kg travelling to areas where malaria is widespread.
Patients must tell their pharmacist which countries they will be visiting: it is essential that to take an antimalarial that will be effective in those areas. You will need to start the tablets before arriving in a malaria-endemic area and to continue taking them for 7 days after leaving.
A final decision was made by MHRA, on behalf of the UK Licensing Authority, after responses from the public consultation were analysed.
Following a stringent assessment procedure, The Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) recommended reclassifying the tablets for those travelling in areas where malaria is common.
MHRA always want to encourage people to be involved in their healthcare and are in the process of holding public consultations for conditions that are suitable for self-care.
Maloff Protect was one of a number of medicines currently being considered for reclassification as an over the counter medicine, to help widen access to medicines for the benefit of public health when it is safe to do.
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