Truvada (Emtricitabine/Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) for HIV

Overview
Truvada is a prescription drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as treatment for HIV-1 infection in combination with other antiretroviral medications in people 12 years and older. Truvada is also approved for use as pre-exposure prophylaxis in adults who have a high risk of contracting HIV. Truvada is a combination drug composed of Emtricitabine and Tenofovir alafenamide fumarate, which are also known respectively by the abbreviations FTC and TAF. Emtricitabine and Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate are both antiretroviral medications of the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) class. These drugs are believed to work by preventing HIV from replicating in cells.

How do I take it?
Prescribing information states that Truvada is taken once daily. Truvada comes in tablet form.

Side effects
The FDA-approved label for Truvada lists common side effects including headache, fatigue, dizziness, depression, insomnia, unusual dreams, rash, nausea, and diarrhea. Rare but serious side effects listed for Truvada include severe hypersensitivity reactions, lactic acidosis (a metabolic disorder), hepatomegaly (enlarged liver) with steatosis (fatty degeneration), severe exacerbation of Hepatitis B, kidney and liver problems, and a decrease in bone mineral density.

For more details about this treatment, visit:

Truvada highlights of prescribing information – Gilead

Overview of HIV Treatments – AIDS.gov