A common class of HIV drugs made by the pharmaceutical company Gilead has been linked to serious side effects, including loss of bone density and kidney problems. Patients who have suffered adverse effects after taking these drugs to manage their HIV may be eligible to file a Gilead lawsuit and pursue compensation for their pain and suffering, medical expenses, and lost wages.

Gilead May Have Repressed Safer HIV Drugs to Corner Market

The Bay Area Reporter reports that in one recent lawsuit filed against Gilead Sciences Inc., the pharmaceutical company may have violated antitrust laws in order to corner the market on HIV antiretroviral drugs.

According to activist and lead plaintiff Peter Staley, “It got to a point where a monopoly started happening in HIV antiretrovirals — 89% of newly infected people now take a Gilead drug.” He told the Bay Area Reporter, “They didn’t get there through research. They created one novel product in 2001, they bought up a few others, and they’ve been using teams of lawyers ever since to corner the market.”

The suit claims that Gilead made agreements with other companies regarding HIV drugs. These agreements allegedly were to refrain from creating any competing drugs while Gilead’s HIV drugs were under patent. Victims claim that these kinds of agreements limit innovation, as well as raising the price for these life-saving medications. In addition to this predatory monopolization of the market, activists and victims claim that these agreements lead to Gilead refusing to release a safer version of their HIV drugs, despite their ability to do so.

In addition to lawsuits alleging that Gilead purposefully cornered the market, several lawsuits have been filed against the company claiming that Gilead had developed a newer and safer version of their HIV antiretroviral but refused to release the drug to the market due to these agreements. According to victims, Gilead’s current HIV medication may cause severe side effects, including kidney damage, kidney disease, and bone demineralization.

Which Drugs Are At Issue?

The Gilead HIV drugs linked to bone density problems and kidney issues contain the active ingredient tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF). These medications include:

• Atripla
• Complera
• Stribild
• Truvada
• Viread

These drugs are given to patients infected with HIV and are meant to prevent the HIV virus from replicating. If the virus replicates, it may result in the infected patient transmitting the disease and infecting other people.

Taking HIV suppressant drugs is an important part of managing the condition. The drugs also help to boost and strengthen patients’ immune systems, as well as extending their lives and improving their quality of life.

Side Effects of HIV Drugs

Drugs containing TDF may lead to serious conditions, including kidney damage, kidney failure, chronic kidney disease, bone mineralization, low bone density, and bone fractures. Additionally, these HIV drugs may be linked to bone necrosis or bone death, kidney toxicity, and chronic bone conditions including osteopenia and osteoporosis.

HIV Drug Side Effects Lawsuits

Several HIV drug side effects lawsuits have been filed by patients, claiming that the drugs meant to help their condition are actually causing their health to deteriorate and leaving them with more medical problems.

According to one recent Gilead lawsuit regarding the company’s drug Truvada from July 2018, these drugs have low bioavailability. This means that the chemicals in the drugs are not absorbed easily by the body. As a result, these drugs must be prescribed in high doses in order to have an antiviral effect. However, the high concentration of chemicals allegedly deposits in patients’ bones and kidneys, leading to chronic health problems.

At least one Gilead lawsuit further alleges that the pharmaceutical company was aware of these possible side effects and downplayed them to doctors and patients. Allegedly, doctors were advised by Gilead to consider monitoring patients’ bone mineral density, rather than being fully informed of the possible side effects of Gilead drugs.

According to another recent lawsuit filed by 41 patients in 12 states across the nation, Gilead’s laboratories suppressed a safer alternate version of their HIV drug Viread, years ago, but suppressed this version from the market for over a decade in order to make maximum profit from the company’s existing HIV suppressant drugs. In 2015, Gilead earned over $18 billion in profit.

If you or a loved one has taken Gilead HIV drugs including Atripla, Complera, Stribild, Truvada, or Viread and suffered from kidney or bone problems, you may be eligible to hire a pharmaceutical side effects attorney and file a Gilead lawsuit. A Gilead lawsuit may help you to recover damages for pain and suffering, lost wages, and medical expenses.