New lawsuits have been filed against Gilead Sciences over allegations that HIV patients’ kidney and bone density problems are attributable to Viread medicine.

Two California men have most recently filed the lawsuit also claiming that Gilead intentionally delayed its production of a safer version of the drug that includes an active ingredient known as tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF). The plaintiffs claim that in hiding and delaying its production, Gilead allowed people to take a medication that was harmful to their bones and kidneys.

In addition to Viread medicine, other medications that are also at issue include those sold under the brand names:

• Atripla
• Complera
• Stribild
• Truvada

The Viread lawsuit is currently being funded by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF). In a press release, the AHF says that “a class action lawsuit against Gilead by two other Californians living with HIV who suffered bone and kidney damage from taking TDF was filed on behalf of all persons located within California who were prescribed and ingested Viread, Truvada, or Atripla from October 26, 2001, through the present, who were personally or whose physician was exposed to Gilead’s misrepresentations.”

Overview: Viread Medicine

Current allegations being filed against Gilead assert that the HIV medications lead to kidney damage, kidney failure, chronic kidney disease, and bone demoralization which in some cases have caused fractured bones.

The drugs contain an active ingredient known as tenofovir. The drugs are a part of a class of medications known as nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). The purpose for these medications is to prevent replication of the HIV virus in those who already have the disease. By preventing HIV virus replication this helps stop the transmission of AIDS and aids the immune system in fighting off the virus.

However, class action lawsuits and personal injury lawsuits that have been previously filed claim that these drugs have a low bioavailability. This means that the medication is not well absorbed by the body. Therefore, with an excessive amount of tenofovir in the patient’s body it winds up accumulating in their kidneys and bones.

Claims are being made that Gilead knew of these issues with the medication. Specifically, that they knew about the low bioavailability and that the bones and kidneys are being affected. Allegations include that Gilead intentionally downplayed these issues advising physicians to simply monitor patient’s bone density particularly in “patients with a history of pathologic fracture or who are at risk for osteopenia.”

The following side effects have been linked to Viread medicine, including other brand names:

• Bone fracture
• Bone mineral density loss
• Bone necrosis (bone death)
• Osteopenia
• Osteoporosis
• Chronic kidney disease
• Kidney damage
• Kidney failure
• Kidney toxicity

The man who filed the July 2018 Gilead lawsuit claims that he had no prior history of fractures of osteopenia, but that Truvada “compromised his bone mineral density.”

Further allegations claim that it wasn’t until Gilead exhausted its potential revenue and profits from Truvada that it continued to hide its safer version of the medication that leads to much lower levels of toxicity and kidney and bone density side effects.