Florida Truvada Lawyer

When people become sick, they often take medication in the hopes that they will get better. Rarely do they expect that medication to make them even sicker—but unfortunately, this is exactly what has happened to many people who were prescribed the drug Truvada.

If you were harmed due to undisclosed side effects of this medication, you may have grounds for a civil suit that our dedicated attorneys could help you pursue. Call Kogan & DiSalvo today to talk to a Florida Truvada lawyer about what may be possible in your situation.

What Is Truvada?

Truvada is a prescription medicine manufactured by Gilead Sciences meant for individuals who test positive for HIV. In addition to being used by people already infected with HIV, Truvada is also sometimes prescribed to patients that have a high risk for HIV infection. The spouse of someone who is HIV-positive, for example, may be prescribed Truvada.

Truvada was approved by the FDA in 2012 even though it contains tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF.) This antiretroviral component is exactly what makes Truvada so effective for HIV patients. Unfortunately, it is also what causes many people to suffer unexpected harm from the drug.

Side Effects of Truvada

Taking Truvada may help patients with their HIV, but like all medication, it does come with some side effects—some of which were not properly disclosed by the drug’s manufacturer. The most serious side effects of Truvada that Florida attorneys have seen include:

• Kidney problems resulting in swollen feet, ankles, and legs, as well as unexplained shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, and confusion
• Weakening of bone structure, often leading to fractures and very serious conditions such as osteoporosis, osteopenia, and osteomalacia
• Liver damage, indicated by dark urine, jaundiced skin or eyes, nausea, stomach pain, and other symptoms
• Renal failure or low kidney requiring dialysis
• High creatinine levels
• Abnormal glomerular filtration rate levels
• Abnormal protein levels in the urine
• Fanconi Syndrome/proximal renal tubule dysfunction.
• Lactic acidosis, an extremely serious condition in which excessive lactic acid builds up in the blood, causing unusual muscle pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, and a number of other symptoms

Truvada is not the only medication that comes with side effects. However, there are some circumstances surrounding the drug that indicates the manufacturer is liable for injuries those side effects cause.

Legal Issues with Truvada

There are two main issues surrounding Truvada that have given rise to many lawsuits around the country. The first is the fact that Gilead knew about various dangerous side effects when bringing their drug to the market but did not warn customers about them. This is a violation of product liability law in Florida, which dictates that manufacturers have a duty to warn customers about any dangers associated with their product.

The other legal issue associated with Truvada is that Gilead had created another safer, non-TDF drug at around the same time they created Truvada. Instead of putting that safer drug on the market, though, they continued to promote Truvada, the more expensive—and therefore more profitable—of the two. Gilead made their profits a priority over the safety of patients.

One of these two reasons—or both—are the basis of various lawsuits being filed around the country. Anyone negatively impacted by Truvada in Florida should also speak to a seasoned personal injury lawyer who could help them pursue compensation for their injuries. Individuals who took other dangerous drugs similar to Truvada also may be eligible to file suit. These drugs include:

• Viread
• Stribild,
• Atripla
• Symfi Lo
• AccessPak for HIV PEP Expanded with Kaletra
• AccessPak for HIV PEP Expanded with Viracept
• Complera
• Cimduo
• Genvoya

Get in Touch with a Florida Truvada Attorney

If you have taken Truvada for your HIV and have suffered any injury or further sickness, it may be important you speak to a Florida Truvada lawyer today. You could be eligible for compensation for any losses you have suffered, including additional medical bills, lost income, and more.

Do not go up against Gilead Sciences and their teams of attorneys on your own. Call us at Kogan & DiSalvo today so we can get started on your claim.