Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate—also referred to as tenofovir DF or TDF—is a commonly used HIV drug. Tenofovir works to improve your immune system’s functioning by decreasing the amount of HIV found in your body. This helps prevent further complications of HIV, like new infections or cancer.

Like other HIV drugs, tenofovir DF is not a cure, but it is a treatment that can help control the infection.

Tenofovir DF is part of a class of drugs called nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors. On top of being an HIV drug, tenofovir is also used to treat chronic hepatitis B infection, a type of liver infection.

What are Side Effects of TDF?

Of course, any medication comes with certain side effects. Complications from tenofovir include dizziness, diarrhea, headache, or trouble sleeping. More serious problems that have been linked with tenofovir include unexplained weight loss, joint pain, vision changes, nerve problems, and more.

TDF has also been linked with major kidney problems such as kidney damage and even kidney failure, as well as bone demineralization.

According to litigation filed over tenofovir containing drugs, manufactured by the drugmaker Gilead, these drugs have very low bioavailability, meaning that they need to be given in high doses in order for the treatment to be effective. This allegedly leads to excessive amounts of TDF in the patients’ bones and kidneys, leading to kidney problems (kidney damage or failure) and bone density issues (sometimes leading to fractures).

Which Drugs Are Linked with Kidney/Bone Problems?

A number of HIV drugs include the active ingredient tenofovir, which may cause these kidney or bone density problems. These HIV drugs include the following:

• Atripla
• Complera
• Stribild
• Truvada
• Viread

Can I File a Lawsuit Over Tenofovir DF Complications?

So far, a number of lawsuits have been filed against the drugmaker Gilead alleging that its tenofovir containing drugs have led to serious kidney and bone problems. Lawsuits allege that Gilead downplayed the risks of its TDF medications, but has been aware of the issues since the development of the drug.

Plaintiffs claim that Gilead actually had a safer drug developed years ago that could provide the same effective treatment in patients but with much lower toxicity levels, but that the drugmaker waited to release it until it has maximized its profits from its current tenofovir-based medications.

In 2015, Gilead began selling its tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) drug on the grounds that TAF is safer than TDF because of kidney and bone toxicity problems.

If you or someone you love has taken one of these tenofovir DF medications and has since suffered from kidney or bone density problems, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Filing a lawsuit cannot undo the pain and suffering caused by these side effects, but it can at least help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical expenses, lost wages, and more.

Pursuing litigation can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.