Truvada side effects lawsuit investigation

Truvada and TDF drug side effects: Who’s affected?

Did you take Truvada or a similar TDF medication and develop serious side effects? You may be eligible to join a lawsuit investigation. 

Gilead Sciences is facing mounting legal action over claims that the pharmaceutical company delayed the release of a safer HIV/hepatitis B drug in order to prolong its profits from TDF drugs such as Truvada, Viread, Atripla, Complera and Stribild. (A TDF drug is an antiviral medication based on tenofovir disoproxil fumarate.)

The Truvada lawsuits allege the company knew it had a safer drug but didn’t get it on the market fast enough for patients who suffered from known Truvada side effects such as serious bone and kidney problems.

The first Truvada lawsuit was filed in September 2019. No decision has been reached in the many that have followed. You may still be able to join a lawsuit investigation for compensation if you suffered Truvada side effects such as the following:

• Acute kidney injury
• Bone pain
• Bone mineral density loss, which could lead to fractures
• End-stage renal disease
• Fanconi syndrome
• Kidney failure
• Osteoporosis
• Renal insufficiency/impairment

Patients who took TDF drugs and later developed kidney problems or bone injuries may be able to take legal action. A TDF drug lawsuit may be able to help recover compensation for medical expenses, permanent disability, loss of earning capacity and more.

Truvada, TDF drugs: overview

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is a drug used to treat HIV and hepatitis B. TDF may also be used to prevent HIV or hepatitis B infections in high-risk individuals. 

TDF drugs are almost always used in combination with other medications. The medications are or were sold under various brand names including:

• Viread (TDF)
• Truvada (TDF/emtricitabine)
• Atripla (TDF/efavirenz/emtricitabine). 
• Complera (TDF/emtricitabine/rilpivirine)
• Stribild (TDF/elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine)

According to HIV.gov, TDF drugs are associated with serious and potentially life-threatening side effects including lactic acidosis (the buildup of lactic acid in the blood), liver problems and kidney failure. These medications may also cause immune system changes and other problems such as:

• Acute kidney injury
• Bone pain
• Bone mineral density loss, which could lead to fractures
• End-stage renal disease
• Fanconi syndrome
• Kidney failure
• Osteoporosis
• Renal insufficiency/impairment

Although these TDF side effects are serious, many HIV and hepatitis B patients had no choice but to take these drugs to control their viral infections. TDF drug side effects may be considered the lesser of two evils when comparing kidney and bone issues with the potentially life-threatening symptoms of HIV and hepatitis B.

Unfortunately, according to recent allegations, TDF drug manufacturers such as Gilead Sciences may have intentionally delayed the development of safer, more effective HIV and hepatitis B treatments to prolong their patent profits. 

TDF v. TAF

According to lawsuits against Gilead Sciences, the pharmaceutical company, which has made billions selling Viread, Truvada, Atripla, Complera and Stribild, allegedly knew that TDF drugs were “toxic to patients’ kidneys and bones.” Despite this knowledge, Gilead allegedly refused to research a safer alternative, tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF).

TAF also has known side effects, but it is effective at much lower doses, reducing the risk for serious side effects, such as bone injuries and kidney problems.

Plaintiffs in the Truvada lawsuit claim that Gilead knew TAF was safer and more effective than TDF but shelved research on the drug to prolong profits from TDF’s patent.

“Gilead intentionally withheld a safer alternative design of TDF Drugs it knew to be dangerously toxic to patients’ kidneys and bones, while failing to adequately warn about the risks and safer use of the defective drugs, solely to make more money,” a TDF drug lawsuit contends.

Join a TDF and Truvada lawsuit investigation

Patients who took Gilead’s TDF drugs and later developed kidney problems or bone injuries may be able to file a lawsuit and recover compensation for medical expenses, permanent disability, loss of earning capacity and more.

Gilead sells several TDF drugs including:

• Viread (TDF)
• Truvada (TDF/emtricitabine)
• Atripla (TDF/efavirenz/emtricitabine)
• Complera (TDF/emtricitabine/rilpivirine)
• Stribild (TDF/elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine)

If you or a loved one developed kidney or bone problems after taking any of the TDF drugs listed above, you may qualify to participate in this Truvada side effects lawsuit investigation. 

Fill out the form on this page to see if you qualify for a FREE case evaluation.