Common Registration Assessment, Part 1

Atovaquone/proguanil tablets and travel course counts for the GPhC assessment

Three original practice questions, with the working shown. Read the stated prescription or plan before calculating.

Published 11 November 2026. Independent revision material, not GPhC questions, not for patient care.

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Photo from Pexels, used under the Pexels licence. It is a stock image and does not show the exercise.

The manufacturer's UK product information for Atovaquone/Proguanil Hydrochloride 250 mg/100 mg film-coated tablets states that for malaria prophylaxis in adults and children weighing at least 40 kg the dose is one tablet daily, that prophylaxis should commence 24 or 48 hours before entering a malaria-endemic area, continue during the stay, and continue for 7 days after leaving the area.

The same information states that for treatment of acute uncomplicated malaria in adults the dose is four tablets as a single dose for three consecutive days, and that the tablets are not recommended for prophylaxis in persons under 40 kg bodyweight.

A 250 mg/100 mg tablet means each tablet contains 250 mg of atovaquone with 100 mg of proguanil hydrochloride, so course totals in mg follow directly from the tablet count.

Each question fixes the values needed for its arithmetic. Write the unit beside every step and distinguish prophylaxis days from treatment days. All prescriptions and patients here are fictional; these are revision materials, not for patient care.

The method

  1. Identify whether the stated course is prophylaxis (one tablet daily) or treatment (four tablets daily for three days).
  2. For prophylaxis, add the stated days before travel, the stay and the 7 days after for the total tablets.
  3. For treatment, multiply four tablets by three days.
  4. Keep tablets, mg of atovaquone and days separate; convert only when the question asks.

Three practice questions

Work each one on paper first, then open the answer. All patients and prescriptions are fictional.

Question 1

A fictional adult (over 40 kg) takes atovaquone/proguanil for malaria prophylaxis, starting 1 day before entering the endemic area, staying 10 days, and continuing for the label period after leaving. How many tablets are needed for the whole course?

Show the answer

Answer: 18 tablets

Working: One tablet daily for 1 day before + 10 days of stay + 7 days after = 18 days, so 18 tablets.

Question 2

A fictional adult takes atovaquone/proguanil for treatment of acute uncomplicated malaria at the label dose. How many tablets are taken each day, and how many over the full treatment course?

Show the answer

Answer: 4 tablets daily; 12 tablets

Working: The label treatment dose is four tablets as a single dose for three consecutive days. 4 x 3 = 12 tablets.

Question 3

A fictional traveller takes 18 tablets of atovaquone/proguanil 250 mg/100 mg over a prophylaxis course. What total quantity of atovaquone in mg is taken over the course?

Show the answer

Answer: 4500 mg

Working: 18 tablets x 250 mg = 4500 mg of atovaquone (and 18 x 100 mg = 1800 mg of proguanil hydrochloride).

eMC SmPC: Atovaquone/Proguanil Hydrochloride 250 mg/100 mg film-coated tablets

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/13579/smpc

Where marks are lost

  • Starting the count on the travel day; the label starts prophylaxis 24 or 48 hours before entering the area, so the days before travel count too.
  • Stopping at the last day of the stay; the label continues for 7 days after leaving the area, and those tablets belong in the total.
  • Confusing prophylaxis with treatment; prophylaxis is one tablet daily, treatment is four tablets daily for three consecutive days.

Frequently asked questions

Are these official assessment questions?

No. They are original revision exercises, not official GPhC questions and not for patient care.

Does this calculation decide a real atovaquone/proguanil course?

No. Follow the stated travel plan in the exercise. Real courses follow the prescriber and the product information.

How should I check the answer?

Split the course into days before travel, days away and the 7 days after leaving, add them, then multiply by one tablet daily.

Sources

The questions above are original and use fictional patients and prescriptions. PreRegExamPrep is not affiliated with or endorsed by the General Pharmaceutical Council.

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More calculation topics

See also the formula sheet, the eight sample questions and the approved calculator page.