By Mike Blais
Soldiers in-theatre often have unique, shall we say descriptive terms to blunt the adversarial impact of any given situation through humour rather than alarm. Not surprisingly, Mefloquine’s nickname’s are related to the day of the week wherein soldiers were ordered to take this drug in order to stave off the never ending scourge of malaria. Manic.
Wacky. Freaky.
Objectively, the drug has proven to be an effective anti-malarial deterrence.
Malaria is a virulent disease. Strategically, it is necessary to effectively inoculate soldiers prior to deployment to malaria plagued operational theatres as a vital component to mission success. The Americans would not have been successful against the Japanese during the Pacific campaign of WW2 without strictly regimented use of powerful quinines due to the profoundly mission-adverse impact which rampant malaria would have inflicted upon their combat forces ability to function, let alone fight.
Mefloquine’s discovery was consequential to American engagement in another theatre of war, this time in South-East Asia wherein malaria posed a clear and present danger to American troops. In fact during the Vietnam War, Americans sustained 24,000 cases of malaria. Noteworthy?
The term Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was coined during this era and this term have now been applied as the catch all for veterans suffering from mental trauma symptoms inherent to military service in both war and peace.
Most of these symptoms are also currently identified by Health Canada, with respect to the Mefloquine generation of quinines, as serious “side effects” by Health Canada.
Coincidence?
DND embraced Mefloquine after choosing valiant paratroopers of the
Canadian Airborne Regiment as involuntary “guinea pigs” for the anti-malarial drug’s “clinical” trials during the infamous deployment to Somalia (92-93). Subsequent to those “successful” trials, Mefloquine was provided as DND’s primary anti-malarial deterrence up until 2017 wherein it was withdrawn from general use and provided only when medical contradictions negate use by other medications.
Health Canada responded to widening concerns from Canadians about the seriously adverse effects of Mefloquine in 2016. The population was cautioned about anxiety, depression, paranoia, hallucinations, psychotic behaviour and suicide ideation for years after exposure
The Canadian military also conducted a Mefloquine review, while contrarily assuring affected veterans, the troops and the nation that Mefloquine posed no long-term adverse effects?
How can two assessments be so diametrically opposed?
Was there a cover up, as so many veterans believe?
What were the consequences to those adversely affected by mefloquine toxicity, particularly veterans of Canadian Airborne Regiment in respect to the “clinical” trial during their Somalia deployment?
Are there veterans of Somalia and other Mefloquine deployments who have been potentially misdiagnosed by DND doctors as suffering from PTSD. Consequently were they then subject to treatment plans and anti-psychotic medications that were not effective because Veterans Affairs Canada refuses to acknowledge Mefloquine may be ultimately responsible as the persistent, long term source of their mental trauma?
Indeed, did the Canadian government of the day willfully forfeit their Duty of Care responsibilities to the men of the Airborne
Regiment of Canada, subjecting the valiant to clinical trials bereft of individual consent or appropriate oversight
Could it be that this insidious drug was the underlying, malignant curse that corrupted the very essence of the Somalia mission?
Could Mefloquine be the common denominator to the inexplicable behaviour affecting the CAR’s deployment?
Could Mefloquine be the dominant factor in the brutal murder of Shidane Arone (the Somali team brutally beaten to death in captivity by the paratroopers)?
Could this “psychotic” incident have been prevented were the “rules” of clinal trials which are accorded to the civilian population, been applied to the military?
Veterans have resorted to the courts for answers to these questions and many more.
The legal firm of Howie, Sacks and Henry LLP has agreed to represent veterans in a class action lawsuit. Should you feel that you have been affected by Mefloquine during your service, contact them on line or at 1 877 771 7006. Tell them you are a veteran, you were prescribed Mefloquine and you wish to speak to Paul Miller.
