Truvada

Truvada is a branded PrEP HIV medication version of the generic PrEP HIV medicine, Emtricitabine / Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (manufactured by Gilead Sciences Inc), that is commonly used for HIV prevention. PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. It is the only pre exposure prophylaxis treatment recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Truvada HIV PrEP tablets can also be used alongside other HIV medications to help control and prevent HIV infections. It helps to decrease the amount of HIV in your body, allowing your immune system to work better. Emtricitabine/Tenofovir (generic Truvada) also lowers the chance of getting HIV-based complications and helps with improving the quality of life of people with HIV. If you believe you may be HIV positive, it is recommended to take a HIV test as HIV testing is the only way to accurately determine your HIV status.

Alongside Emtricitabine, Truvada contains the original form of tenofovir as tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF). This is the key difference compared to the alternative HIV-1 infection PrEP treatment, Descovy (Tafero EM), which contains a newer form of tenofovir called tenofovir alafenamide (TAF).

For further information on the HIV transmission prevention drug please refer to the patient information leaflet.

Emtricitabine & Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate

Truvada PrEP medication is a combination of two different drugs. These are emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate. Both of these drugs are nucleotide reverse-transcriptase inhibitors, also known as NRTIs.

It is important to note that PrEP medication should not be used by itself to control an HIV 1 infection. If you use it on its own it will be much less effective than if it is used in combination with at least one other HIV medication.

Emtricitabine/Tenofovir is not a cure for HIV infection, and it is not a guarantee of preventing HIV as a sexually transmitted infection. It should be used as a way of lowering the viral load of HIV (amount of virus in the body in a HIV positive person) to reduce the risk of transmission.

Truvada PrEP works by greatly reducing the risk of contracting the HIV virus provided it is taken daily and in conjunction with safe sex methods, such as condoms. PrEP combines two HIV medicines, emtricitabine and tenofovir, both of which are NRTIs. NRTIs work by inhibiting the enzyme in the body, reverse transcriptase, which is needed for the HIV virus to replicate in the body.

Yes, according to findings of a study by Aidsmap, Emtricitabine/Tenofovir HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) not only protects against HIV but also against infection with hepatitis B, reducing the risk of hepatitis B (HBV infection) nearly tenfold.

England’s health technology assessment body, The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), has 'found that Truvada is clinically effective in reducing HIV acquisition in higher risk people but also identified issues around treatment that need to be considered, such as uptake and adherence, sexual behaviour and drug resistance.'

According to a 2012 Science Translational Medicine study, Emtricitibine / Tenofovir PrEP is able to reduce HIV infection via sexual transmission by 99% if it is taken daily, though it must be noted that if the patient doesn't take it as regularly, this can impact it's effectiveness. Similarly, a 2011 Science Translational Medicine study found that Truvada is also an effective medication for reducing the risk of HIV transmission in intravenous drug users by upto 74% (for people with detectable tenofovir levels).

'PrEP reaches maximum effectiveness after seven days for anal sex and 21 days for vaginal sex or injection-drug use'. However if doses are skipped or other preventative measures are not used up until the seven day mark (e.g. unprotected sex), it is much less effective, according to Very Well Health.

The user experience and effectiveness of taking a Truvada PrEP tablet will vary from person to person. Read first-hand how people have found using HIV prevention drug:

• Truvada for pre-exposure prophylaxis reviews on drugs.com
• Truvada oral reviews on webmd.com

PrEP Tablets

You should always read the medication guide that comes in the package for Truvada preexposure prophylaxis before you start using the medication to reduce the risk of side effects. If you have questions or if you are not sure about something, you should seek medical advice from your doctor or a sexual health clinic before taking it.

Emtricitabine/Tenofovir tablets are to be taken orally as directed by your health care provider or sexual health clinician. Usually, this will be once daily, with or without a meal. If you are taking didanosine enteric-coated tablets alongside Emtricitabine/Tenofovir, take both medications either on an empty stomach or with a light meal. If you are taking the didanosine buffered tablets then you should take both prescription drugs on an empty stomach.

For the best results when using Emtricitabine/Tenofovir, take it at evenly spaced times. To help you remember to take your medication you should try and take it at the same time every day.

PrEP HIV Dosage

In clinical trials, the drug has either been taken as a daily PrEP dosage or on-demand (event based dosage).

You should always take the amount of Truvada PrEP HIV that you have been instructed to by your doctor. The dosage of PrEP HIV you are told to take will be based on your kidney function, medical condition, as well as your response to the treatment. Children may be prescribed a different dosage based on their weight, as their risk profile will differ to adults.

You must keep on taking Emtricitabine/Tenofovir (Truvada medication) and any other HIV treatment that you use exactly as prescribed by your doctor. You should never skip any doses. You should also not take more or less Emtricitabine/Tenofovir than prescribed by your healthcare provider, and you should not risk stopping intake, even for a short time, unless you have been told to do by your doctor. Doing so may cause the amount of virus to increase, make the HIV infection more difficult to treat, or worsen side effects.

Data by DrugsWatch from a clinical trial suggests that 1 in 10 Truvada PrEP users risk experiencing one or a combination of the following adverse effects when using the medication:

• Back pain
• Headache
• Joint pain
• Itching or skin rash
• Skin discoloration and hyperpigmentation
• Abdominal pain
• Stomach pain
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Upper respiratory tract infection
• Swollen glands
• Sinusitis
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Trouble sleeping
• Insomnia
• Strange dreams
• Immune Reconstitution Syndrome (a condition triggered by the drug whereby your immune system responds to past infections that may still be in your body)
• Depression
• Weight loss
• Bone density loss
• Kidney problems
• Liver problems (leading to Lactic acidosis)

Prior to starting Truvada PrEP, you should notify your doctor if you have ever suffered from osteopenia , kidney disease or liver disease as there are a number of drug interactions that they will consider prior to recommending the treatment for you. Kidney problems, liver problems and bone density loss are potentially serious long term side effects of Truvada, therefore it is important to regularly monitor your kidney and liver function with a healthcare professional, in addition to measuring bone density, whilst using the preexposure prophylaxis medication.

Truvada should be safe to take with erectile dysfunction medications such as viagra (sildenafil) and cialis (tadalafil) as there are no known drug interactions between them.

The risk of experiencing each side effect will vary depending on the individual.

Buy PrEP HIV

You can safely purchase Truvada HIV treatment online at EU Meds or an online pharmacy. As it is a a prescription medication, to buy Emtricitabine/Tenofovir you will need a valid prescription which can either be from your doctor or attained through consultation with us. When you have a valid prescription, you can continue the process of buying PrEP treatment and your order will be confirmed. The online consultation will ensure that generic Truvada (Emtricitabine/Tenofovir) is the right PrEP medication for you.

• European Medicines Agency - Truvada
• Public Health England - HIV in the UK
• Medicines.org.uk - Truvada film-coated tablets