The biggest thing people need to understand about the Truvada recall is that the drug’s makers knew it was faulty all along. Gilead, the company that manufactures the drug Truvada, knew about the risks that their product carried. Rather than warning consumers that the HIV-blocking drug could lead to serious, life-complicating illnesses, Gilead suppressed that information. The company also prevented a safer drug with similar properties from entering the marketplace for ten years, in order to maximize the profits from Truvada.
Truvada is a chemical combination that blocks HIV cells from reproducing in a person’s body. While it is not a cure for HIV or AIDS, the drug was very successful at preventing HIV from accelerating into full-blown AIDS. Naturally, Gilead charged HIV patients approximately $1,300 per month for the drug.
What Gilead failed to do, and which led to the Truvada recall, was notify consumers about all of the potential dangers of the drug. Truvada can cause kidney disease and renal failure, which are life-threatening illnesses. Prolonged exposure to Truvada can also cause decreased bone density, which leads a variety of serious health complications. Problems from decreased bone density can include osteoporosis, broken bones, fractures and osteopenia. It’s worth repeating: Gilead knew about these Truvada risks and failed to alert consumers.
If you have been taking Truvada and you have experienced any of these serious health complications, you may be entitled to damages in a civil litigation suit against Gilead. Thousands of Truvada users have already filed lawsuits, so dealing with the Truvada recall on your own is unlikely to result in a fair settlement. It’s a good idea to contact a civil litigation law firm that deals with Truvada recall cases, to learn all of your options going forward.
