All drugs have side effects, medical fact. What we look at in medicine is a balance of risk.

For example. Drug A given to the entire population will save 1 in 10,000 peoples lives

However:
Taking drug A the risk of death or serious side effects is 1 in 10,000,000

therefore, the population should take drug A, even though some will die as a result or suffer serious side effects

This happens in every sphere of medicine and for every type of medication, so you can cruise about on line and find horror stories for anything, it doesn't make what you find medically or scientifically valid.

What we do know, is Malaria is the one of the biggest killer diseases worldwide. We have medications which are effective against it, but rather than being guided by cost, you need to be guided by what is effective in the area you are going to. There is no point taking a drug which may have some fairly profound side effects if it isn't going to be any use to you!

I'm not going to offer specific advice on whether you should or shouldn't take antimalarials because it isn't my sphere of expertise, but for a short trip to an infected area, I would take them. Not least because all the advice on not being bitten is worthless to me, mosquitoes just seem to love my blood!!
For a longer trip, advice is often not to.
frankly, I would rather have some vivid dreams (some were quite 'interesting' actually) than get malaria.

My medical experience is that people are extremely poor at making judgments about their health and tend to selectively seek out information that reinforces the opinion they already have.

take as an example the hysteria in the UK about vaccinating children. The medical evidence this was based on was floored at best. The doctor writing it, subsequently struck off, and more children are now catching these preventable diseases than ever suffered the side effects of the vaccines (many of which were incorrectly attributed t the vaccines)

My main advice would be, be aware of what you are taking, be aware of the possible side effects. look out for them in yourself and in others and if you get them, reconsider

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1990 Landcruiser H60. Full rebuild completed 2014