Truvada Action Lawsuit

Truvada is known as an antiviral drug that is used to prevent HIV cells from accumulating in the body. It is a composition of different chemicals including Emtricitabine and Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate (TDF).

As suggested by the company, Truvada is to be consumed regularly and should be used for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in conjunction with healthy sex activities to minimize the incidence of HIV-1 infection. People who have tested positive for HIV-1 can also be treated with this drug. This medicine makes it a lot harder for the disease to pass on.

HIV or human immunodeficiency virus is a highly lethal virus that undermines a person’s immune system by killing vital white blood cells that aid in the battle against infection and disease. If the virus is not controlled, it will ultimately kill a person’s immune system. Truvada is made up of two antiretroviral drugs: Tenofovir and Emtricitabine. This drug cocktail is designed to delay the disease growth and extend life to some extent. It, however, cannot heal HIV-1 completely.

Truvada is one of the most profitable drugs for the pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, Inc. The revenue this medicine produces makes up to 67% of the total revenue of the company. In 2018, the company generated over $14.5 billion from Truvada.

But, these drugs have been suspected to cause bone damages and develop kidney diseases. In connection to this, many lawsuits have been filed by individuals. The allegations were that Truvada’s bioactivity prevents filtering the blood adequately and eventually leads the body to develop kidney disorders and failure.

On May 8, 2018, a Gilead Truvada lawsuit was filed, in which plaintiffs complained that it develops kidney and bone damages.

FDA’s troubled past with Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences’ leading TDF-based medicine on the market is Truvada. In addition, the company is the world’s largest producer of HIV medications, with a combined $11 billion in revenue in 2017. Despite Gilead’s achievements, the FDA has sent numerous recommendations to physicians and patients for misleading or downplaying the adverse side effects of TDF which is identified to be present in Truvada and other HIV-related drugs.

• 2002, March – The FDA wrote to Gilead Sciences, condemning the organization over comments made by its executives to doctors at a research meeting. About the fact that the possibility of bone fractures and renal complications was already established and included on the warning label, Gilead officials reassured doctors that its antiretroviral medications were not dangerous and faced no risk of kidney damage or possible bone issues.
• 2003, July – The FDA released a second letter urging Gilead Sciences to cease downplaying the drawbacks and exaggerating the benefits of TDF products. At an AIDS meeting, a Gilead spokesperson refused to reveal the significant dangers involved with antiretroviral drugs now on the market.
• 2014, July – The FDA requested that Gilead Sciences delete a funded web page that misrepresented the efficacy of TDF drugs and declined to note the documented dangers of kidney and bone problems. The corporation was forced by law to delete the connection.

Truvada Lawsuit Settlements

There were more than hundreds of lawsuits filed against the Gilead Science Company that is still unconcluded in the courts, as Gilead’s quarterly report says. People have filed lawsuits alleging that Gilead did not inform them about the side effects that Truvada will cause in order to make money. Moreover, it has also been alleged that the company knowingly hid the information that it affects the kidney and damages bone.

Gilead strongly rejected the lawsuits against Truvada, and also stated that:

“While we believe these cases are without merit, we cannot predict the ultimate outcome. If plaintiffs are successful in their claims, we could be required to pay significant monetary damages.”

Allegations in the Class Action Lawsuit against Gilead include:

• Gilead failed to disclose the side effects on bones and kidneys caused by Truvada to the patients.
• The company did not inform about the side effects of those who were suffering from pre-existing bones and kidney diseases.
• To sell the drugs, Gilead miscommunicated the benefits and risks of Truvada and its HIV prevention drugs.
• The company did not inform that TDF had a notable risk of bones and kidney damage.