Home » TDF HIV Anti-Viral Drugs » TDF HIV Anti-Viral Drug Chronic Kidney Disease

TDF HIV Anti-Viral Drug Chronic Kidney Disease

• More on TDF HIV Anti-Viral Drugs
  • TDF HIV Anti-Viral Drug Chronic Kidney Disease
  • TDF HIV Anti-Viral Drug Bone Demineralization
  • TDF HIV Anti-Viral Drug Lawsuit

The toxic effects of TDF (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) HIV anti-viral drugs – Truvada, Viread, Atripla, Complera, and Stribild – may lead to chronic kidney disease and other serious kidney complications.

 A growing number of TDF HIV anti-viral drug lawsuits claim that Gilead downplayed these side effects and accuse the company of intentionally delaying a safer version of tenofovir to protect its bottom line.

 TDF Lawsuit Reviews

The nationwide law firm of Bernstein Liebhard LLP is now investigating TDF HIV anti-viral drug lawsuits involving the following renal injuries:

• Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) or declining kidney function
• Acute Kidney Injury
• Acute Renal Failure
• Acute Interstitial Nephritis
• Fanconi’s syndrome
• Tubular dysfunction

To arrange for a free review of your case, please contact our office by calling (888) 994-5118.

TDF HIV Anti-Viral Drugs and the Kidneys

TDF is indicated for the treatment and prevention of HIV, as well as the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.

Gilead received U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval for Viread (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate of TDF) in 2001. Since then, the agency has approved the use of TDF in several combination drugs, including:

• Truvada (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate)
• Atripla (efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate)
• Complera (emtricitabine/rilpivirine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate)
• Stribild (elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate)

Since its introduction, TDF has been linked to more than 200,000 reports of chronic kidney disease and other kidney problems. A growing body of research also suggests that people taking TDF HIV anti-viral drugs may be more likely to suffer serious renal problems:

• A 2011 study that included 213 patients taking TDF drugs found that they were 2.25-times more likely to develop chronic kidney disease compared to those taking non-TDF drugs.
• A 2012 study of 10,000 people living with HIV showed that the risk of developing chronic kidney disease increased by 33% each year that a TDF drug was taken.
• A 2016 study concluded that “the rate of CKD was significantly higher among patients continuing with TDF treatment compared to those who had discontinued it within 6 months of occurrence of mild renal impairment.”

TDF HIV Anti-Viral Drug Lawsuits

Recent TDF HIV anti-viral drug lawsuits filings have accused Gilead of downplaying the potential for Truvada, Viread, Atripla, Complera, and Stribild to cause chronic kidney disease and other serious renal problems.

Among other things, the complaints note that the FDA warned Gilead on two occasions regarding its marketing practices in regards to TDF medications:

• In 2002, the FDA criticized Gilead salespeople for falsely stating that TDF had ‘no toxicities’ was ‘benign’ and was ‘extremely safe.’
• A year later, the FDA took the unusual step of requiring Gilead to retrain its sales representatives to provide accurate information regarding the significant side effects associated with TDF.

The lawsuits also claim that Gilead delayed a safer version of tenofovir – tenofovir alafenamide or TAF – for more than a decade in order to maximize profits from its TDF medications.

 “After learning that TAF had a higher absorption rate and largely avoided the bone and kidney toxicity associated with TDF, Gilead shelved its development of TAF and instead kept HIV infected patients and their doctors in the dark about the true risks associated with TDF, along with the solution to those risks, for over a decade,” the complaints assert.  “In 2014, as Gilead’s patent on TDF approached its expiration and Gilead faced a sharp decrease in profits that would result from competition entering the market for TDF-containing drugs, Gilead decided to release the results of the TAF studies it began conducting in 2001.”

Gilead would obtain FDA approval for its first TAF drug in November 2015, a combination pill called Genvoy. It has since brought several other TAF medications to market, including Biktarvy and Descovy.

Learn More About Filing a TDF HIV Anti-Viral Drug Lawsuit

You may be eligible for financial compensation if you were diagnosed with chronic kidney disease or other kidney complications that may be related to treatment with Truvada, Viread, Atripla, Complera, and Stribild.

To learn more about filing a TDF HIV anti-viral drug lawsuit, contact our office for a free, no-obligation case review by calling (888) 994-5118.