Truvada Generics: Are They Available?

Truvada was the breakthrough medication for protecting individuals who are at a higher risk of HIV-1 exposure. Although there are Medicare and insurances that eligible individual get access to Truvada for PrEP, it’s not enough. Price is still a factor to consider. But soon, we are set to have access to the generic version of it.

Truvada (or TDF/FTC) is a highly effective and tolerable PrEP med that has helped millions of individuals stay safe and free from HIV-1 infection.

In some countries, the government and other initiatives have joint programs that help its citizens have access to Truvada by paying. If you qualify, you can pay as little as $0.

There are generic medications that work the same as Truvada. These drugs are extremely cost-effective and easily accessible to millions of the global population who are at risk of being infected with the virus. You can easily get Truvada free of charge from the government healthcare system or via mail order from trusted online suppliers.

At HIVPrEP, we bring you informational content on topics that we think will help you get informed on the use of PrEP medications and cost-effective alternatives to get these pills at substantially reduced prices.

 

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💊Is There an Alternative to Truvada?

TDF/FTC for PrEP is still protected by a patent until 2020. Legally, there is no approved generic of Truvada because of the patent. This makes it difficult to make an alternative version of it, but the situation will change soon.

Although there are no alternatives to TDF/FTC medication for PrEP, there are other cost-effective drugs that serve the same purpose as Truvada. Widely used versions of generic PrEP medications include Tenvir-EM (from Cipla) and Ricovir-EM (from Mylan).

Branded medication has two main active ingredients – emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (or FTC/TDF). Generic versions of this drug contain the exact same active substance – they have the same form, effectiveness, and tolerability with fewer side effects as the brand name.

🔍When Will Truvada Generics Be Available in the USA?

Since its approval by the FDA in 2012 for the prevention of HIV-1 infection or as PrEP, Gilead has held on tight to its Truvada patent for a very long time. For so long, it has remained the only FDA approved PrEP drug in the USA, making the manufacturer enjoy the lucrative PrEP market with its higher prices.

In 2017, the FDA has approved a generic version of Truvada (FTC/TDF) from Teva Pharmaceuticals, which will become available after the Truvada patent expires- starting in 2020. The specific release date is Sept. 30, 2020 [1].

This comes after Gilead Sciences reached an agreement to permit the Israeli pharmaceutical company, Teva, to introduce/launch generic versions of Truvada (FTC/TDF) and Atripla (containing FTC/TDF and efavirenz) on Sept. 30, 2020 – right after the current Truvada patent expires in the U.S.

Teva will not be the only one to manufacture generic Truvada. Other companies will join the race, making the price of Truvada alternatives drop extremely low. We expect to see more generics of this drug from 2021 onwards, at even cheaper prices. People with higher chances of getting the infection will have access to the once expensive product at a very affordable cost.

💻Where to Buy Generic Drugs Online and Over-the-Counter?

With the expensive price of branded Truvada, there are other companies including Mylan and Cipla which manufacture generic PrEP medications. The availability of these meds makes it easy to distribute and reach millions of the global population who are at high risk of HIV-1 exposure.

There are many online pharmacies which provide generic TDF/FTC OTC (note that these alternative meds have the same ingredients, but with different names) [2]. Although there are several PrEP meds, the most popular generics are Ricovir-EM, Tavin-EM, Tenof-EM, and Tenvir-EM.

With the flood of generic PrEP medications available online, you should get advice from your doctor for the best drug or do research online (though these drugs have the same functionality) and carefully choose a trusted online pharmacy.

There are fake drugs that can seriously harm your health. You should know how to differentiate these meds, but most importantly, order your meds from a trusted supplier. Don’t fall victim to online scams offering cheap medication. Do thorough research and get the best, trusted online pharmacy that sells quality PrEP generics.

Note also that generic PrEP drug prices vary. There are some genuine drugstores that sell quality meds, but at slightly higher prices than others. If price if your concern, look for a highly rated, trustworthy, and secure drugstore that offers the lowest PrEP meds at extremely cheap prices. These drugstores can also offer free shipping and other perks.

Alternative medications don’t necessarily require a doctor’s prescription. Having visited your doctor and gotten a recommendation to use this drug if you are at risk of HIV-1 exposure, you can easily order your tabs from a nearby healthcare provider or via mail order.

Some government initiatives can provide these tabs free of charge. While using these drugs, it’s your responsibility to abide by drug prescription and add other safer sex practices to increase medication effectiveness and reduce the chances of being infected.

💵Price of Truvada Generics Vs Brand Medication

Although prices of Truvada generics slightly differ from country to country, the cost is still higher and not easily affordable for low-income populations [3]. Truvada, from Gilead Sciences, has been incorporated into the national healthcare programs and insurances, especially in the USA, to help cover the cost of Truvada.

How about the millions of people who are at higher risk of HIV-1 infection and not eligible for these programs? Where will they find support to pay for Truvada for PrEP?

Here is a price comparison for branded TDF/FTC in the United States and the price of some generics for PrEP.

Truvada Oral Tablet Price ($) Quantity Price per tab ($)
Truvada (FTC 200 mg; TDF 300 mg) $1776.6 30 $59.22
Generic Ricovir-EM $59 30 $1.99
Generic Tenvir-EM $59 30 $1.99
Generic Tenof-EM $59 30 $1.99

Those are some of the comparisons between generic Truvada and branded medication. The price of the alternative tablets is from a trusted online supplier of quality PrEP from Indian manufacturers.

Other online drugstores may have varying prices of their meds, but it’s not that much higher than this. Some online suppliers are willing to cut the cost even lower when you order more tabs (in bulk).

From the above table, the cost of 30 tabs of generic medication is around $59 – which is the cost of 1 tab of branded Truvada! 1-month pills of generic PrEP drugs is equivalent to a 1-day pill of Truvada.

In summary, generic TDF/FTC has the same effectiveness and tolerability as the branded med but is available at a substantially reduced cost. The more tabs you order, its prices can be reduced to some cents of dollars.

📚References:

  1. Gilead says generic Truvada will be available in 2020. Healio.com. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  2. Generic PrEP bought online has correct amounts of emtricitabine and tenofovir. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  3. Truvada Prices, Coupons and Patient Assistance Programs. Drugs.com.
Logan Morris

Expert in pharmaceutical practice and antiviral medicine, founder of HIVPrEP. Main goal is to popularize HIV topics and create awareness for global masses on how to prevent the disease and how to use HIV medication safely.

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Logan Morris

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