TRUVADA INJURIES

WHAT WENT WRONG?

Recent studies have found Truvada’s active ingredient to be highly toxic and harmful to patients.

Truvada is a mixture of emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), an antiviral medicine found in other HIV/PrEP drugs. TDF works in Truvada to decrease HIV levels in the body while aiding the immune system. Other TDF drugs on the market for PrEP and HIV treatment include Atripla, Stribild, Viread, etc.

However, recent lawsuits from across the country claim TDF can cause severe side effects, doing more harm than good. Individuals allege TDF is too toxic and can cause severe injuries like osteoporosis, kidney failure, and lactic acidosis.

TRUVADA TDF SIDE EFFECTS

Patients across the US claim too-high toxicity of Truvada® caused severe injuries in consumers taking Truvada® for HIV treatment and PrEP. Lawsuits allege Truvada®’s active ingredient, TDF, is too toxic for patients and causes potentially deadly side effects including:

• KIDNEY INJURIES
  • Acute kidney injury
  • Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
  • Renal failure
  • End-stage renal disease (ESRD)
  • Renal insufficiency and/or impairment

• BONE PROBLEMS
  • Osteoporosis
  • Bone breaks and/or fractures
  • Bone density loss
  • Tooth loss

• OTHER INJURIES
  • Liver disease
  • HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder (HAND)

WHO’S AT RISK?

Those at risk of developing TDF injuries could include the following:

• Patients taking Truvada for PrEP
• Patients taking Truvada for HIV treatment

Truvada® patients at risk from tDF Toxicity

Patients At Risk Of TDF Injuries

Adults and children taking Truvada® for the treatment of HIV and or PrEP may be at risk of developing serious complications from TDF side effects.

Company Negligence and Deception

Gilead Sciences, manufacturers of Truvada® allegedly knowingly used TDF instead of a safer alternative to make more money. Victims are seeking compensation through filing a claim for financial burdens they never needed to bear, such as: 

• Necessary medical monitoring for the rest of their life
• Medical treatment for side effects
• Loss of wages
• Pain and suffering

TRUVADA TOXICITY: WHO’S AT FAULT?

Gilead Sciences Inc. is the developer of all TDF medications currently on the market and received FDA approval for Truvada in 2004. Truvada sales reach up into the billions of dollars annually and dominates the marketplace for PrEP treatment.

However, allegations state Gilead Sciences knew Truvada’s toxicity was too high and still marketed the drug to public. In fact, many Truvada lawsuits say Gilead knew a safer alternative to Truvada was available and refused to market it.

Gilead released the less toxic option, tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF), years after Truvada and other TDF medications were on the market. Truvada lawsuits allege Gilead knew TDF was more toxic than TAF, and TAF could be given at a lower dose with the same effectiveness as TDF.

Plaintiffs argue Gilead held out on marketing TAF until the patents on their TDF drugs ran out to increase company profits. As of June 2018, Truvada carried a whopping list price of $2,000 for a 30-day supply. While TDF dug patents began expiring last year, TAF drugs have patent protection until 2032. Gilead Sciences shelved TAF in 2004 and did not start selling TAF drugs until over 10 years later in 2015. Because of the delay, TDF drug dependents took a drug too toxic to be safe and developed severe health complications.