Drug Database: Emtricitabine / Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate

What is Truvada?What is Truvada?

What is Truvada?

Truvada is a prescription medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the following uses:

• To treat HIV infection in adults and children who weigh at least 37 lb (17 kg). Truvada for HIV treatment is always used in combination with other HIV medicines. 
• For HIV PrEP to reduce the risk of HIV infection in adults and adolescents who weigh at least 77 lb (35 kg), are HIV negative, and are at risk of getting HIV. Truvada for PrEP should always be used in combination with safer sex practices, such as using condoms, to reduce the risk of getting other sexually transmitted infections.

Truvada contains two different medicines: emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate.

For more information on the use of Truvada in people with HIV, please refer to the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Adults and Adolescents with HIV and the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Pediatric HIV Infection.

For more information about HIV PrEP, including information on who should consider using PrEP, please read the HIVinfo fact sheet on PrEP.

HIV medicines cannot cure HIV/AIDS, but taking HIV medicines every day helps people with HIV live longer, healthier lives. When used as treatment, HIV medicines also reduce the risk of HIV transmission. Whether you are taking Truvada for HIV prevention or for HIV treatment (in combination with other HIV medicines), do not cut down on, skip, or stop taking your HIV medicine(s) unless your health care provider tells you to.

What should I tell my health care provider before taking Truvada?What should I tell my health care provider before taking Truvada?

What should I tell my health care provider before taking Truvada?

Before taking Truvada, tell your health care provider:

• If you are allergic to either of the HIV medicines in Truvada (emtricitabine or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) or any other medicines.
• If you have liver problems, including hepatitis B virus infection (HBV).
• If you have kidney problems or receive kidney dialysis treatment.
• If you have bone problems.
• If you have any other medical conditions.
• If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Talk to your health care provider about the risks and benefits of taking Truvada during pregnancy. For more information on the use of Truvada during pregnancy, please refer to the following sections of the Perinatal HIV Clinical Guidelines: Table 14. Antiretroviral Drug Use in Pregnant People with HIV and Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to Prevent HIV During Periconception, Antepartum, and Postpartum Periods.
• If you are breast/chestfeeding or plan to breast/chestfeed. For people with HIV in the United States, the Guideline recommends speaking with your health care provider to discuss options for feeding your baby. People with suppressed viral load have a less than 1% chance of transmitting HIV to their baby via their own milk.
• If you are using hormone-based birth control (such as pills, implants, or vaginal rings). For more information about using birth control and HIV medicines at the same time, view the HIVinfo HIV and Birth Control infographic.
• About other prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Truvada may affect the way other medicines or products work, and other medicines or products may affect how Truvada works. Taking Truvada together with certain medicines or products may cause serious side effects.

Before taking Truvada for HIV PrEP, you must get tested to be sure you are HIV negative. Do not take Truvada for HIV PrEP unless you are confirmed to be HIV negative.

Before taking Truvada for PrEP, also tell your health care provider:

• If you had a flu-like illness anytime in the month before starting Truvada or if you have a flu-like illness at any time while taking Truvada. Flu-like symptoms may be a sign that you could have recently gotten HIV. The flu-like symptoms of a new HIV infection may include: tiredness, fever, nighttime sweating, rash, vomiting, diarrhea, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin.
• If you think that you were exposed to HIV. Your health care provider may want to do more tests to be sure you are still HIV negative.

While taking Truvada for PrEP, you will get tested for HIV at least every 3 months or when your healthcare provider tells you.

How should I take Truvada?How should I take Truvada?

How should I take Truvada?

Truvada comes in tablet form in the following strengths:

• 100 mg emtricitabine and 150 mg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate
• 133 mg emtricitabine and 200 mg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate
• 167 mg emtricitabine and 250 mg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate
• 200 mg emtricitabine and 300 mg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate

Take Truvada according to your health care provider’s instructions. Do not miss a dose of Truvada, and do not change your dose or stop taking Truvada without first talking with your health care provider.

Take Truvada with or without food at the same time each day.

Tell your healthcare provider if you or your child cannot swallow Truvada tablets.

If you take Truvada to treat HIV infection, always take it in combination with other HIV medicines.

If you take Truvada for PrEP, it is important that you take it every day as scheduled to help reduce the risk of getting HIV infection and developing resistance. Always use PrEP in combination with condoms and other safer sex practices.

If you have taken too much Truvada, contact your health care provider or local poison control center (1-800-222-1222 or online) right away, or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.

For more information on how to take Truvada, see the FDA drug label.

What should I do if I forget a dose?What should I do if I forget a dose?

What should I do if I forget a dose?

If you miss a dose of Truvada, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. But if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and just take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses at the same time to make up for a missed dose.

What side effects can Truvada cause?What side effects can Truvada cause?

What side effects can Truvada cause?

Truvada may cause side effects. Some side effects of Truvada can be serious as noted above. Many side effects from HIV medicines, such as nausea or occasional dizziness, are manageable. See the HIVinfo fact sheet on HIV Medicines and Side Effects for more information.

Other possible side effects of Truvada include:

• Changes in your immune system (called immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome or IRIS). IRIS is a condition that sometimes occurs when the immune system begins to recover after treatment with an HIV medicine. As the immune system gets stronger, it may have an increased response to a previously hidden infection.
• Bone problems, including bone pain, or softening or thinning of the bones (osteopenia), which may lead to fractures.

Tell your health care provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

These are not all the possible side effects of Truvada. To learn more about possible side effects of Truvada, read the drug label or package insert or talk to your health care provider or pharmacist.

You can report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088) or online.

How should Truvada be stored?How should Truvada be stored?

How should Truvada be stored?

• Store Truvada at room temperature, 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C).
• Keep Truvada in the container that it came in and keep the container tightly closed. 
• Do not use Truvada if the original seal over the container opening is broken or missing.
• Throw away Truvada that is no longer needed or expired (out of date). Follow FDA guidelines on how to safely dispose of unused medicine.
• Keep Truvada and all medicines out of reach of children.

Where can I find more information about Truvada?Where can I find more information about Truvada?

Where can I find more information about Truvada?

• For more information on the use of Truvada in people with HIV, please refer to the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Adults and Adolescents with HIV and the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Pediatric HIV Infection.
• This Patient Version drug summary is based on the following FDA label(s): Tablet (film coated). The Medication Guide includes information for people taking Truvada.
• The American Hospital Formulary Service (AHFS) Patient Medication Information for emtricitabine and tenofovir available from MedlinePlus. 
• Truvada-related research studies, from ClinicalTrials.gov. (The ClinicalTrials.gov search can be modified so that you can get results that better match your interests.)
• A fact sheet about PrEP, from HIVinfo.
• A list of FDA-approved HIV medicines, from HIVinfo.