The AIDS epidemic, which was rampant in the United States in the 1980s and 1990s, has largely died down. Better education and more effective preventative measures have contributed significantly to this decline.

HIV is a powerful virus, so anti-HIV drugs are understandably powerful as well. Tenofovir is a class of drugs prescribed to treat HIV. Common types of Tenofovir drugs that are prescribed are Truvada, Atripla, Viread, Complera, Cimduo and Genvoya These drugs have some potentially serious side-effects. They also inhibit certain natural body functions, a process which often has unintended consequences.

Whether they were intentional or not, drug manufacturers are normally strictly liable for the injuries their drugs cause. It generally does not matter if the side-effects occurred while the patient was taking a type of Tenofovir or many years thereafter. Tenofovir drugs usually linger in the body for quite some time.

At Napoli Shkolnik our Tenofovir side-effects lawyers aggressively stand up for victims in court. We do not just talk the talk. We also walk the walk. Our professional team diligently collects evidence which supports your claim for damages, so we can obtain fair compensation for your serious injuries. Your damage claim also sends a message to drug manufacturers like Gilead Sciences, which makes Truvada, that they cannot peddle products to vulnerable people without ensuring they are safe.

About Truvada and HIV Drugs

Truvada, which is also sold under the trade name Descovy, is one of many nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. NRTIs block production of the reverse transcriptase enzyme. Without RT, the HIV virus cannot make copies of itself once it invades a healthy cell.

So, Truvada does not just alter cell chemistry. It also alters body chemistry. This one-two punch inevitably creates various side-effects, as detailed below.

The Food and Drug Administration is supposed to prevent pills which have serious side-effects from reaching consumers. But the FDA is no longer the aggressive watchdog it once was. In fact, drug companies provide a significant chunk of this agency’s funding. As a result, many dangerous drugs slip through the cracks. By the time the slow-moving FDA issues a recall, thousands of people have already been seriously injured.

Other economic factors are at play here as well. According to one study, companies like Gilead Sciences spend about $2.7 billion to bring new drugs like Truvada to market. So, the company must sell a lot of pills to recoup costs and show a healthy profit. As a result, the company often suppresses negative information, like the possibility of serious side-effects, so sales do not suffer.

Truvada Side-Effects

Emtricitabine is such a powerful drug that new patients are especially vulnerable to serious side-effects. Their bodies are not used to the drug and often react in very harsh ways. Some potential problems include:

• Kidney Failure: Truvada is not just prescribed to those who are HIV-positive. Doctors also give Truvada to people who are at risk of HIV infection. These people are most vulnerable to Truvada-related kidney problems. This organ is quite delicate and has many moving parts. A powerful inhibitor drug like Truvada also frequently inhibits kidney functions. Specific issues include chronic kidney disease, renal failure, and various nephritic injuries.
• Bone Loss: Researchers are not sure why Truvada causes bone loss, specifically in the lumbar spine and hip. But there definitely is a connection, especially among adolescent and post-adolescent patients. Bone loss in these areas makes people more susceptible to issues later in life, such as fall injuries, fractures, osteoporosis, and other problems.
• Sensory Issues: Truvada does more than inhibit RT production. It also inhibits sensory messages to the brain. As a result, many people experience symptoms like extreme facial pain, weakness in feet or hands, and blurry vision or even blindness.

Other possible side-effects include seizures, bloating, constipation, Tachycardia (accelerated heart rate), and severe hives or welts. All of these side-effects make it difficult to function at work, school, home, and anywhere else.

Damages in a dangerous drug claim usually include compensation for economic losses, such as medical bills, and economic losses, such as pain and suffering. Due to the failure of companies like Gilead Sciences to adequately warn potential patients about Truvada’s serious side-effects, substantial punitive damages are often available as well.

Procedurally, many dangerous drug claims are consolidated for pretrial purposes into multidistrict litigation claims. A judge appoints a designated magistrate to oversee discovery, procedural motions, settlement negotiations and other pretrial matters. If individual claims do not settle, they return to their originating jurisdictions for trial.

The MDL process is generally a victim-friendly process which encourages fast settlement. Frequently, that settlement includes a large fund that victims can draw on to pay medical bills and obtain other compensation.

Powerful drugs like Truvada often cause serious side-effects. Get a free case evaluation with an experienced Truvada Side-Effects Attorney, contact Napoli Shkolnik PLLC. We handle dangerous drug and other injury claims on a nationwide basis.

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