WASHINGTON — The Army is sending a team of specialists to Ft. Bragg, N.C., on Sunday to investigate common factors among four soldiers accused of killing their wives, including possible side effects from an antimalarial drug prescribed to troops who fought in Afghanistan.
Army spokeswoman Elaine Kanellis said Thursday that the probe would examine "any possible physical, behavioral and any pharmaceutical aspects" the soldiers have in common. That includes probing their use of Lariam, a popular antimalarial drug, that has been cited in a spate of lawsuits alleging it contributes to psychological problems, including suicide.
"If you have a cluster of incidents anywhere ... you would definitely want to see if any incidents were related," Kanellis said at the Pentagon.
She emphasized that the team from the Army's headquarters, including two specialists from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, would examine "all medical aspects of the recent incidents," and not merely a link to the drug. Top Army brass got involved after an ongoing review by officials at Ft. Bragg that began after four men allegedly killed their wives in a span of six weeks. Two of the men committed suicide.
"Nothing in that investigation so far suggests that the FDA-approved antimalarial drug Lariam is a factor, said Ft. Bragg Garrison Commander Col. Tad Davis, referring to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The drug, known generically as mefloquine, is one of two obvious links connecting the soldiers. The other was the men's military history; three were special operations soldiers who recently had returned from Afghanistan. None of the men knew one another, military officials said, prompting investigators to seek other connections.
Army officials declined to say how many of the men had been prescribed Lariam, but a lawyer for one of the men confirmed that his client had taken the drug. The other two who had returned from Afghanistan are likely among the thousands of soldiers prescribed the drug before they can go to nations where malaria poses a significant risk, such as Afghanistan. About 25 million people have taken Lariam over the last 17 years, including many soldiers and Peace Corps workers. Some have complained of psychological side effects that, in extreme cases, include vivid nightmares and hallucinations.
