What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Artemether/lumefantrine and mefloquine
Artemether/lumefantrine's FDA label of March 26, 2026 names mefloquine in its drug interactions section; the mefloquine label PlainMeds reads does not name artemether/lumefantrine. The artemether/lumefantrine label: “If mefloquine is administered immediately prior to Coartem Tablets, there may be a decreased exposure to lumefantrine, possibly due to a mefloquine-induced decrease in bile production.”
Check it at the source: the artemether/lumefantrine FDA label on DailyMed (effective March 26, 2026, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation); the mefloquine FDA label on DailyMed (effective November 18, 2024, Chartwell RX, LLC).
What does the artemether/lumefantrine label say about mefloquine?
Artemether/lumefantrine label, drug interactionsUse of Mefloquine Administration of 3 doses of mefloquine followed 12 hours later by a 6-dose regimen of Coartem Tablets in 14 healthy volunteers demonstrated no effect of mefloquine on plasma concentrations of artemether or the artemether/DHA ratio.
Artemether/lumefantrine label, warnings and precautionsIf mefloquine is administered immediately prior to Coartem Tablets, there may be a decreased exposure to lumefantrine, possibly due to a mefloquine-induced decrease in bile production.
Source: FDA drug label (COARTEM), Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, effective March 26, 2026 (SPL set 7866ec19-dfac-47d4-a53f-511a12643cbf), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the mefloquine label say about artemether/lumefantrine?
Mefloquine's label (effective November 18, 2024) does not name artemether/lumefantrine in these sections. A label lists what its studies and reports found; it is not a complete list.
Source: FDA drug label (Mefloquine Hydrochloride), Chartwell RX, LLC, effective November 18, 2024 (SPL set b884d22b-aae7-4f14-9a04-ae4029a229f0), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
These are the labels' own sentences. PlainMeds does not grade interactions; a pharmacist or prescriber can say what they mean for one person's medicines.
Both medicines on the record
| Artemether/lumefantrine | Mefloquine | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | n/a | n/a |
| Boxed warning | No | Yes |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | $5.36 per tablet Coartem tablets | $3.97 per tablet 250 mg tablet |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
Source: FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026 and the FDA Drug Shortage Database (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Check more medicines together
- up to five at once