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Truvada-HIV-Drug-Lawsuit

Truvada-HIV-Drug-Lawsuit

Truvada and Other HIV Drug Lawsuits

Lawsuits Over Truvada, Viread, Atripla, Complera and Stribild

LAWSUIT STATUS: New Cases Are No Longer Being Investigated

What Was the Lawsuit About?

Lawsuits alleged that users suffered kidney injuries, bone problems and other side effects of Truvada, Viread, Atripla, Complera and Stribild, which may have been avoided if the manufacturer had adequately warned about the risks. The drug maker also faced accusations that it withheld safer versions of the HIV drugs for years as part of a scheme to maximize profits.

HIV drug lawsuits were previously pursued for individuals who suffered:

  • Kidney Disease, Kidney Failure or Other Renal Injury
  • Bone Fractures
  • Osteoporosis, Osteopenia, Osteomalacia or other Bone Loss Problems

UPDATED:

Comments

Latest Truvada Lawsuit Updates and Information

  • Thousands of individuals filed Truvada lawsuits, Viread lawsuits, Atripla lawsuits, Complera lawsuits and Stribild lawsuits against Gilead.
  • Lawsuits alleged Gilead failed to adequately warn about kidney side effects and bone risks.
  • Given common allegations, most of the HIV drug lawsuits pending in the U.S. were consolidated before one judge in California state court.
  • Gilead later reached an agreement in principle to pay $40 million to settle 2,625 Truvada lawsuits, Atripla lawsuits, Stribild lawsuits, Viread lawsuits and Complera lawsuits pending in the federal court system for users who suffered kidney problems and bone fractures.

    Overview of Truvada Lawsuit and Other HIV Medication Lawsuits

    Gilead introduced a series of HIV treatments in prior years involving the compound tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, TDF, which allowed the medications to be delivered in pill form instead of by injection. These treatments included the blockbuster Gilead HIV drugs:

    • Truvada
    • Viread
    • Atripla
    • Complera
    • Stribild

    Lawsuits alleged that Gilead knew safer versions of these HIV drugs could have been manufactured and sold years earlier, involving the compound tenofovir alafenamide fumarate, TAF. However, plaintiffs claimed Gilead withheld development of this safer version of its medications, continuing to introduce and sell more toxic TDF drugs for years without adequately warning about the potential side effects on the kidneys and bones.

    It was not until Gilead was nearing the end of patent protection for certain TDF drugs, and would soon face competition from generic versions of Truvada, Viread, Atripla, Complera and Stribild, that it worked to release TAF drugs, which were marketed as safer alternatives.

    Info About HIV Drug Lawsuits on this Page:

    1. Who Qualified for An HIV Drug Lawsuit?
    2. Which HIV Drugs Were Named In Lawsuits?
    3. 2026 HIV Drug Lawsuit Updates
    4. About TDF Drug Side Effects

    Which Injuries Were Involved In HIV Drug Lawsuits?

    Product liability lawyers previously reviewed claims for individuals who alleged they suffered kidney or bone injuries after using HIV medications that contained TDF, including:

    HIV Drug Kidney Lawsuits

    • Chronic Kidney Disease, CKD
    • Acute Kidney Injury, AKI
    • Kidney Failure
    • Dialysis Treatment
    • Wrongful Death

    HIV Drug Bone Density Loss Lawsuits

    • Bone Fractures
    • Osteoporosis
    • Osteopenia
    • Osteomalacia
    • Tooth Loss
    • Other Dental Problems from Bone Deterioration

    Which HIV Drugs Were Named In Lawsuits?

    The HIV drugs that were named in lawsuits included:

    • Truvada
    • Viread
    • Atripla
    • Complera
    • Stribild

    2026 HIV Drug Lawsuit Updates

    About TDF Drug Side Effects

    Tenofovir is part of a class of antiretrovirals used to treat and prevent HIV by blocking an enzyme the disease needs to replicate. Sales of the compound were initially limited, since it had to be delivered through an injection. However, this changed in 2001 with the introduction of Viread and other TDF-based drugs, which provided tenofovir in pill form.

    Gilead developed an essential monopoly on HIV antiretrovirals, which individuals living with the disease must take to survive, generating more than $11 billion in annual sales.

    As early as 2001, lawsuits alleged Gilead knew that side effects of TDF HIV drugs could be highly toxic to kidneys and bones, but failed to provide adequate warnings to users and the medical community.

    The drug maker also allegedly knew about a safer alternative by 2004, but stopped development of TAF drugs because they would negatively impact the lucrative sales of Truvada, Viread and the other TDF drugs.

    According to allegations raised in TDF drug class action lawsuits and individual injury claims, Gilead engaged in a scheme to maximize profits by delaying development of the safer TAF drugs until after it had generated the maximum profits from TDF drugs. When generic versions of the earlier drugs were approaching the market, the manufacturer obtained approval for TAF drugs, which were not expected to face generic equivalents until at least 2032.

    How much were HIV drug lawsuits worth?

    HIV drug lawsuits sought financial compensation for former users of Truvada, Viread, Atripla, Complera and Stribild who alleged they suffered kidney injuries or bone loss problems. Claims sought damages that may have included:

    • Past and Future Medical Expenses
    • Lost Wages or Diminished Earning Capacity
    • Pain and Suffering
    • Punitive Damages Based on Allegations that the Drug Maker Placed Profits Before the Safety of HIV Drug Users

    HIV Drug Lawsuit Settlement Information

    HIV drug injury lawsuits alleged that Gilead failed to ensure the safety of its products or adequately warn about the risks associated with TDF toxicity.

    While plaintiffs claimed users were entitled to compensation through product liability lawsuits, Gilead later indicated that it reached an agreement in principle to pay $40 million to resolve 2,625 lawsuits involving kidney problems and bone fractures allegedly linked to Truvada, Atripla, Stribild, Viread and Complera.

    Tags: Atripla, Cimduo, Complera, Delstrigo, Gilead, HIV, HIV Drugs, Stribild, Symfi, Temixys, Toxicity, Truvada, Viread
    Image Credit: Forance

    17 Comments

    Billie
    I was on Truvada for prep for many years and thought it worked well until I started getting kidney infections and my teeth started falling out. I had an infection set up in my jaw bone and had to have emergency oral surgery. I have 13 teeth left and most of those are broken or chipped. I have since been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. I feel like we were used as guinea pigs on these meds. It just not right!
    Arthur
    I TOOK VIREAD FOR YEARS I THINK 2004.I BEEN ON DIALYฤนSIS FOR OVER 24 YRARS LEFT WITH 6 TEETH AND 3 HIP SUGERIES BONE DONSINTY. BEDฦOND DEPENDING PERKS 20MG PAIN PILLS…….WHAT GIVE THEM THE WRITE TO HURT FOLKS …..I HOPE WE GET PAID..
    Charlotte
    I absolutely agree with fletcher comments, my bones were breaking left and right for no reason. I suffered 8 broken ribs a broken sacral bone in my back a broken pelvis I could not walk for a year. My once beautiful smile is destroyed it’s hard to eat in don’t take pictures. My husband got fired from his job because he was taking yo much time off of work to take care of me. We had a young son at the time I missed out on alot of my son’s childhood. I almost lost my house I had to file bankruptcy. I see there were other settlements made to lawyers and doctors, how unfair is that. I feel as though they are waiting for all the people in this lawsuit to die off so when and if there is a settlement it would be less gilead has to pay out. We are people to we all have are stories on how we contracted this disease, it does not mean we are bad people. I to have a lawyer where I have to call for any updates, if I didnt happen to see they went to court on may 6 2026 I would of never known. It’s just so unfair. And I have ostenopenia as well. I went thru hell put a strain on my marriage. Thank God I was blessed with a understanding husband. Maybe the people that can actually function a little we should go gilead and protest. I also have metabolic bone disease. I never thought a day in my life that I would have to take pain medicine just to try and make it through the day.
    Fletcher
    I don’t know where to start so unlike most others stories mine is short but an intense forever life changing events I’ve been dealing with. I for my entire life always prided myself in taking care of my health. I began with Atripla for approximately 5 years before being moved to another HIV script. That was in 2015. Today since 2015 i have lost all of my teeth, had hip replacement my spine has several problems as well as my neck. I live with 2 complete shoulder rotors torn. Shoulder replacements have been discussed and i have declined because the after surgery therapy is excruciating painful and no guarantees that the shoulder replacement will solve my issues. I have muscle tendon tears. I suffer with osteoporosis in various parts in my body. My description of problems within this message probably don’t sound so bad. But the pain, constant pain and suffering is in describable and my life was changed and my dreams that i had worked so hard for have been forever changed and there is nothing that i can do. My focus now is to try and keep myself as healthly as possible. I’ve read about settlements that drug stores and such have been paid as well as the lawyers who have already been paid millions and millions of dollars and the real patients that were basically used to create this mess have never received a penny. Why is this? Layers deserve to be paid as well as pharmacies, etc., but why not the patients and why so many years to make a wrong a little right? Essentially the manufacturer of Atripla delayed offering the replacement drug for years and now they are doing the same with the persons that took their drug. Makes no sense that the courts allow this. Lawyers always say they can make them accountable but is that after half of the persons have died?
    Therese
    I was diagnosed 2001i was devastated I was given 6 months to live & the Dr’s at Kaiser Permanente prescribed me viread then they prescribed me truvada, I had complete hip replacement ement June of 2019 I was 62 yrs old at that time. Then 2025 I had another surgery on my right shoulder( rotator cap) then 202026 I just recently had surgery on my foot. Lost my hair I’m bald now, lost all my teeth (have dentures now. Problems with back having pain constantly. I also bone density problem ( Ostopeana) Constant pain all over my body.
    Sabino
    It was bad enough being diagnosed with HIV,devastating news to me,for I am a father of 4 sons . I got it thru a blood transfusion,I was stabbed in a robbery by a Mexican illegal. He had a record of killing a Mexican police with an ax. I survived the injuries, woke up in ICU without a spleen. I didn’t know what exactly the spleen did. So I was discharged with staples on my belly,no spleen,and HIV. On top of that I was instructed to attend a class for orientation of doses for HIV. Double whammy,my immune system is shot to he’ll. No spleen,a common cold would turn into pneumonia immediately. Anyway the meeting was about medicating HIV with Atripla.I took from 2009 to 2013. For some reason it was switched with truvada. They’re supposed to save my life,prolong it. Little did I know they were killing me. The doctors never advised me about the toxicity of the drugs that weren’t supposed to be prescribed. I found out on my own when I did a Google search on bad drugs. It took me to a list of drugs,and guess which drug was on top of the list,atripla. There was one lawyer firm at the time accepting cases. Then I read the article on Lujano and Martinez,if it wasn’t for them,all of us would be dead or dying. Those gentlemen started the quest that led to the HIV meds we were prescribed. Gilead settled 18.1 million each. So our cases are already won,due to the fact that they got a settlement for similar injuries. I filed in 2018,what the fuck is taking so long? Now there’s tons of lawyers that want in. Obviously they have interest on getting a chunk of change. They’re milking the litigation, worried more about their share of the settlement. My attorney’s get 40%. Imagine all the cases ร— 40%. Let’s get these cases settled,we deserve to live our lives ,with a bit of dignity.
    Craig
    I took ATRIPLA from 2002 to 2015. My teeth have disintegrated and I have been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Itโ€™s shocking to have these issues and not know what could possibly be behind it. I am relieved to learn GILEAD is stepping up to right this wrong.
    James
    I’ve been through ringer with 3 hip replacements in my early 40’s along with my shoulder and I also had beautiful teeth but when I went to the dentist they had to take them all they deteriorated from inside out. Thinking this whole time(about 15 years) I lucked out by not having the kidney problems, only to find out that they were taking longer to show problems. I probably just had my last Christmas and nobody still has been forced to pay for their faults. I’ve been legally disabled now for going on my 15th year.
    Randy
    I’m 60 years old I started taking a triple in 2002 until I can’t remember but I have an attorney for my case but haven’t heard a thing , this drug made all my teeth rot out of my head gave me osteoporosis and deteriorated my shoulders and back .
    Spencer
    These litigations started in 2019โ€ฆ Gilead was able to file against companies for patent infringements last year and that case is already done. I donโ€™t understandโ€ฆ. Either it is dangerous or it isnโ€™tโ€ฆ obviously it isโ€ฆ so what is the hold up? I wrote my lawyer asking if Iโ€™m going to see any of this settlement before I dieโ€ฆ. Their answer was less than assuring. I wouldโ€™ve been better just taking my chances with HIVโ€ฆ
    Thomas
    Time is of the essence. Lawyers seem unable to get a settlement in time for it to be useful to me to help save me. The Texas law firm i signed up to join lawsuit in 2019 and lawyers really don’t give updates or return calls.. I waited long enough already. This is likely my last holiday. Life is too difficult as I live with the effects of massive bone loss and other problems for this evil viread and other hiv drugs the money grubbing big pharma deceived us about all in the name of lavish profits.
    Michele
    I took both bureau and Guevara for many years. My biggest complaint is my lack of teeth. They would break off no matter what I ate. Once I lost a molar while eating mashed potatoes.
    Lambert
    I took this medication for over 5 yrs now am leaving without a future because they left my organs devastated.
    Jessica
    I became osteoporosis secondary to the drug truvado combivir i suffered a severe pelvis fractue open reduction internal fixation. A year of lost work. I am in therapy because im unbalanced.
    Christine
    I took bread from 1993 to 2001 and truvada from 2001 to 2006 and I went into renal failure and began dialysis in 2004 do I have a case?
    Trygve
    General Dilivery Centralia Was.
    simon
    I am 39 years old, HIV negative and I have been taking Truvada daily for about 8 years as PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis). 4 years ago (when i was 35) i was diagnosed with 2 herniated spinal discs and disc degeneration in the lower lumbar spine. As a result i could no longer play sports, exercise, run, bend over, my life was changed forever and the two discs never healed. Chiropractors, Physiotherapists, General Practitioners, all could not understand why at 35, my discs were degenerating so quickly and without healing. Last year (when i was 38) another disc herniated, this time in my mid-thoracic. 2 months ago I decided to stop Truvada due to my kidney function tests showing reduced function and also due to episodes of pancreatitis i was experiencing – not because of spinal issues (as I had never drawn any link between Truvada and my disc deterioration). It has been 3 months since my use of Truvada and in the last few weeks I have noticed I am now able to bend over with less pain, and i have been jogging for the first time in 4 years. I have not formally followed up with any scans or tests yet, but given nothing else in my routine has changed, I am hypothesizing that my spinal disc degeneration issues are potentially linked to the long term daily truvada usage. I would be very interested to hear from other people experiencing disc degeneration at a young age and potential links to Truvada.

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