Truvada is one of several medications that are currently used to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus infection. Truvada is now being used to prevent HIV infection. When you take Truvada to prevent HIV infection, doctors refer to this use as “pre-exposure prophylaxis” or “PrEP”.

There are two pills approved for daily use as PrEP. They are combinations of two anti-HIV drugs in a single pill: Truvada® (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) is for all people at risk for HIV through sex or injection drug use. Generic versions are also available.

Truvada and other TDF drugs are manufactured by Gilead Sciences, Inc., an American pharmaceutical company based in California.

Gilead invented Truvada and funded the clinical trials that led to its 2004 FDA approval for use in combination with other antiretroviral agents to treat HIV.

Effectiveness for HIV prevention (PrEP) Truvada is the only treatment approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for PrEP. It's also the only PrEP treatment recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . It's been found effective in reducing the risk of infection with HIV.

Truvada can cause serious, life-threatening side effects. These include a buildup of lactic acid in the blood (lactic acidosis), liver problems, and new or worsening kidney problems, including kidney failure.

Conclusion. Truvada® has proven to be highly effective in preventing HIV transmission when taken consistently and correctly. Clinical trials, real-world evidence, and adherence studies all support its use as an effective pre-exposure prophylaxis.

Truvada can cause serious, life-threatening side effects. These include a buildup of lactic acid in the blood (lactic acidosis), liver problems, and new or worsening kidney problems, including kidney failure.

PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, involves taking a Truvada pill once daily to stop HIV infection, and it is estimated to be nearly 100 percent effective. Despite these six failures since Truvada was first approved as an HIV-prevention medication back in 2012, Dr.

A month's supply of Truvada is nearly $2,000 without insurance (a generic version costs $30-$60 per month). Most private health insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid will cover the cost. By law, private insurers cannot charge copayments -- the amount you have to pay out of pocket for the drug.

Truvada contains two drugs in one pill: emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate. Both drugs are classified as nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). These are antiviral drugs, which are used to treat infection from viruses. These specific antiviral drugs fight HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).

While the majority of Truvada's side effects are short-term, the drug also has warnings for potentially serious long-term side effects, including kidney and liver problems and bone density loss. Experts recommend regular monitoring of kidney and liver function and bone density to avoid long-term side effects.

Truvada can cause serious, life-threatening side effects. These include a buildup of lactic acid in the blood (lactic acidosis), liver problems, and new or worsening kidney problems, including kidney failure.