Overview of Truvada Prices

Prevention against HIV-1 infection is the first step you should take if you are at a higher risk of contracting this incurable virus. Although Truvada is effective, its prices are extremely high. No class of drugs is more scandalously expensive than that for HIV. At HIVPrEP, we show you Truvada prices and other benefits to help cut the cost.

Soon, with the introduction of its generics, every HIV-negative individual at a higher risk of getting the virus will be able to access this drug at extremely cheap prices. Millions of people need to protect themselves from virus infection but the price tag is often discouraging.

TDF/FTC was the first of its type of medication to protect against HIV virus infection with the formulation of emtricitabine/tenofovir (or TDF/FTC). With safer sex methods and use of Truvada, the chance of protection lies at more than 90%.

It’s really beneficial to take PrEP daily. PrEP doesn’t work as intended if you skip these daily pills. If you don’t take it consistently on a daily basis, there might not be a high enough drug concentration in your body to effectively block HIV.

Many people get infected with HIV by engaging in sexual activities or other means without knowing the status of their partners. Some lifestyle habits may contribute to being infected. It’s good to know your partner and how you engage in sexual activities to lower the chance of being infected.

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💵How Much Does Truvada for PrEP Cost in the USA?

Millions of people who are highly exposed to HIV can’t afford PrEP meds. Truvada is a brand name from Gilead containing the active substance emtricitabine/tenofovir (or TDF/FTC) – used as a daily PrEP pill to effectively manage and reduce the chance of being infected with the incurable HIV virus.

Since its introduction, high-income populations have been able to access FTC/TDF for PrEP. Although there are country-based programs that make the price of this medication seem cheaper, it’s not widely accessible in other countries.

In the United States, average prices of Truvada are high, ranging from $1600 to $2000 per month. This is for only 30 pills. Being a daily pill means that you must continue to take it as long as you are sure you’re at a higher risk of being infected [1]. Generic versions are available elsewhere for as little as $59 per month.

Here is a breakdown of TDF/FTC Truvada oral tab dose strengths pricing in the United States.

Truvada Oral Tablet Price ($) Quantity Price per tab ($)
100 mg – 250 mg $1843.75 30 $61.46
200 mg – 300 mg $1776.6 30 $59.22

Actually, these prices prevent millions of Americans from accessing the medication. But there is a promise that lies ahead for a supply of a generic version from Teva pharmaceuticals, however, its price is yet to be made public.

⚕Truvada with Insurance: How Beneficial Is It?

Following the higher cost of this medication, there are available programs across the states that help those who need Truvada get it at a reduced cost. Truvada with insurance is a common plan for most Americans to acquire Truvada.

Gilead has its own coupon and rebates program through its Advancing Access Co-pay Program, providing Truvada for PrEP to commercially insured patients [2].

Based on eligibility, this co-pay coupon card can help you save more money on PrEP treatment. The co-pay card has a maximum coverage of up to $7, 200 in co-pays annually for TDF/FTC for PrEP with no monthly limit. For some people, depending on how you use PrEP medication, that could mean paying $0 co-pay or a significantly reduced price.

There are programs sponsored by large pharmaceutical companies providing free or discounted meds to low-income or uninsured people (including underinsured individuals) who meet specific guidelines for Truvada tailored for that program.

This includes Patient Assistance Programs for PrEP and Patient Access Network Foundation which provide medical help to people who have an income equal to or below 500% of FPL.

There are other programs (including state-based initiatives) that help millions of people get access to this medication. The benefits of these programs make it possible for people to pay less or zero dollars for their medication.

Insurance plans increase the number of people taking this medication, reducing risk exposure by lowering the number of people being infected with the virus.

Gilead is planning to donate up to 2.4M free bottles of FTC/TDF for PrEP every year to uninsured United States citizens to protect themselves from HIV-1 infection through the U.S. CDC. This plan will last until 2030 with the aim of helping to spread HIV PrEP medication and put an end to the HIV epidemic in the USA [3].

🌍Price of Truvada in Other Countries

Brand name Truvada comes with varying prices in various countries. This depends on the pharmaceutical companies with the country-specific system which supports the cost of purchasing Truvada for PrEP medication– the cost of health care.

Country Truvada prices and initiatives
Canada Canada has approved both branded Truvada and its generic counterparts from Mylan. Typically, Truvada cost about $800-1000 a month [4]. However, cheaper generic versions of the drug are available at a price as low as $250 a month or even $45 (Canadian dollars) a month at some local pharmacies across the country.

Since it’s illegal for a permanent Canadian resident to order drugs online via mail order, there are some initiatives and insurance plans that cover the cost of Truvada, making it freely accessible to a majority of Canadians or at a reduced cost. The most notable one is the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) Program.

United Kingdom In the UK, prices of brand-name TDF/FTC are about £500 for 30 tablets. This translates to around £17 per tab. You can still get the generic version at a much cheaper price than this in the UK.
Australia In Australia, there are programs that help you get Truvada at zero cost or at a reduced price. Brand-name Truvada costs you at around $1000 a month.
India The price of this med is approx. $1,500. India mostly uses the generic versions of Truvada as the price of branded Truvada is extremely high. India also has the top pharmaceutical companies that manufacture PrEP, making its prices extremely low for the Indian population who needs PrEP meds.
Kenya In Kenya, prices are at around Sh3, 700 (approx. $37) per month through government initiatives. Its generic equivalent costs less than Sh500.

Kenyans usually use the generic PrEP due to their low-income population. Most of its generics are ordered via mail order from cheap online pharmacies.

South Africa Although there is branded Truvada, South Africa is at the forefront of using generic Truvada medication with the help of the government healthcare system and other initiatives.
Ireland Brand-name Truvada costs around $453 (or €400) for a bottle of 30 tabs. Generic versions of PrEP are also sold in this country, particularly from Teva and Mylan – available in Irish pharmacies at a reduced cost.

Other countries typically sell Gilead Truvada for PrEP at higher prices. Most of these countries sell approved generics to combat HIV-1 infection. Some countries have initiatives including government programs that support PrEP at zero cost or help you pay less for branded Truvada if you are eligible.

📉When Will the Cost of Truvada Come Down?

People at high risk of being infected with the virus use this medicine despite its high prices. Millions of these people are eagerly anticipating the expiry of Truvada patent in 2020 to get this medication at a much lower price [5]. When this patent comes to an end, Gilead will give the rights to the previously patented FTC/TDF active substances to other pharmaceuticals companies to manufacture the same drug generically to make it available with a significantly cheaper price compared to the current price of Truvada.

In 2017, Teva got exclusive rights to manufacture generic Truvada which will become available to the USA market when the patent expires.

⚖Cost of Branded Truvada Vs OTC Generics

When it comes to buying drugs, price is the major determinant. Even though Truvada is the go-to medication for PrEP, still, millions of people don’t have access to it. Gilead overprices Truvada, making it hard to make it available to low-income populations.

Although there are tailored programs including Medicare, Medicaid, and insurances that help cover the cost of this medication, you still have to pay a lot if you don’t qualify for $0 pay (or co-pay).

However, there are cost-effective generic PrEP drugs that have the same effectiveness as Truvada but available at a substantially cheaper price.

For example, the cost of popular generics such as Ricovir-EM, Tavin-EM, Tenof-EM, and Tenvir-EM is more than 90% less compared to the cost of Truvada. Some pharmacies sell at these prices based on the manufacturing cost, making them more than 95% cheaper.

The price of Truvada in the USA is $61.46 per tab for 30 pills. The cost of generic Tenvir-EM is $1.99 per tab for 30 pills from some online pharmacy stores. This means around $59 for 30 tabs – which is the cost of one pill of the brand-name drug! 30 days tabs of generic PrEP is the same as a 1-day pill of Truvada.

📚Reference:

  1. Truvada Prices, Coupons and Patient Assistance Programs. Drugs.com.
  2. Paying for Truvada for PrEP. How can you get help paying for Truvada for PrEP®? Truvada.com.
  3. Gilead Sciences to Provide Free Truvada for PrEP® to Support U.S. Initiative to End the HIV Epidemic. Donation Provides up to 2.4 Million Free Bottles Annually to Uninsured Americans at Risk for HIV. Gilead.com Press release. Retrieved May 09, 2019.
  4. How Much Does PrEP Cost? Get-prep.com.
  5. Generic PrEP to Arrive in September 2020, but Will Big Savings Follow? Poz.com. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
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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