Generic Truvada

[Hairybttmcub43]

Picked up my Truvda today and found out Cigna will not cover brand Truvada any longer. With that said has anyone else been switched to generic. Any side effects? 

[bihairy]

I expect to get Generic Truvada and am not really worried about it.  Most likely the active ingredients are the same. Some of the fillers can be different but I personally don't expect to have any side effects. I have been on PrEP for several years.  Glad it is available. Dr. has tried to switch to Descovy but because I have not had any liver side effects I did not switch.

[Hairybttmcub43]

That is why I stated on Truvada also never had any liver issues.  Today is day 2 taking it so let’s see how it goes.  Hope it’s as effective as the brand cause I love loads in my hole 🐷🐷🐷

[Guest MattDillan]

9 hours ago, Hairybttmcub43 said:

Picked up my Truvda today and found out Cigna will not cover brand Truvada any longer. With that said has anyone else been switched to generic. Any side effects? 

Same here. I went to pick up my refill today and  found Tricare would no longer pay for it without a physician review.  I’m cautious  of generic brands. I was in Lunesta sleeping pills and had to switch to generic and they’re complete shit. 

[Hairybttmcub43]

2 hours ago, MattDillan said:

Same here. I went to pick up my refill today and  found Tricare would no longer pay for it without a physician review.  I’m cautious  of generic brands. I was in Lunesta sleeping pills and had to switch to generic and they’re complete shit. 

That’s my concern also. I hope it’s just as effective 

[Guest MattDillan]

On 11/3/2020 at 9:29 AM, Hairybttmcub43 said:

That’s my concern also. I hope it’s just as effective 

I checked with the Doc today... no difference.  He said insurance companies have also stopped paying for Descovy.

[blackrobe]

4 minutes ago, MattDillan said:

I checked with the Doc today... no difference.  He said insurance companies have also stopped paying for Descovy.

My insurance company is paying for Descovy, so his sweeping generalization is just that. And there is a very important difference with Descovy. It has less of the medication that causes kidney and sometimes liver problems and as a result is much better tolerated by the general population and those with kidney or liver issues.

[BootmanLA]

20 hours ago, blackrobe said:

My insurance company is paying for Descovy, so his sweeping generalization is just that. And there is a very important difference with Descovy. It has less of the medication that causes kidney and sometimes liver problems and as a result is much better tolerated by the general population and those with kidney or liver issues.

I think it's less a "sweeping generalization" and more of a "general rule that has exceptions". Virtually every major insurer has what's called a drug formulary - a list of approved drugs that doctors can prescribe for patients in their network. Formulary-approved drugs get the highest coverage from the insurer; in turn, they're usually given special pricing by the drug maker for their "preferred" status. That's particularly the case with drug categories that have lots of established competitors, like statins and pain relievers.

When a generic is available, most insurers require doctors to prescribe with the generic option, unless there are medical indications for doing otherwise. So, for instance, Descovy won't be approved in lots of cases where the generic version of Truvada will work just fine; but if a patient has impaired kidney or liver functions, or begins to develop them, the doctor will (probably) readily be able to switch the patient to Descovy once he documents that issue.

 

[Oldercumslut]

No change in mine.  Still paying for brand name Truvada.  Just got another 90 day supply.   

Like stated above, your provider may have to do some paperwork to prove it's better for you.  This is one place where using the online services may not help you as much as having a face to face PCP.  I"m lucky, My PCP is a friend so I have no problem with him doing the extra paperwork.

 

[CloudyBttm]

The generic contains the same active ingredients and with the same dosage. What can change is the other ingredients. You're not supposed to have side effects by changing brand unless you're intolerant or allergic to one of the different inactive ingredients. Sometimes the inactive ingredients are the same. 

The generic is as effective as the original. Sometimes, we can see a small difference but it's usually when using a medication with a narrow therapeutic spectrum (ex. for thyroid or epilepsy). Other times, the difference can be caused by a psychological aspect (ex. placebo effect). Few people will have a real difference with medication for blood pressure, insomnia, diabetes, pain ... but it's very rare.

As for antibiotics and antivirals (like the PreP) there's almost 100% chances that the generic and the original will have the same effectiveness.

[Cummydaddybear]

I live in Japan where PReP is stupidly still not available. I have to order generic online (can only order one bottle per order for Japan - annoying). Been on it for about a year now and had not problems. The brand I get is Tenvir made by a pharmaceutical company in India. It is FDA approved and has the same active ingredients as Truvada and much cheaper. 

[Oldercumslut]

On 11/2/2020 at 8:34 PM, Hairybttmcub43 said:

Picked up my Truvda today and found out Cigna will not cover brand Truvada any longer. With that said has anyone else been switched to generic. Any side effects? 

You are not the only one.  My BCBS just switched me.  I suppose I can't really complain as I don't pay anything for it.  Had no side effects to Truvada so we will see.   

[Kimberley]

We only got generic prep from the healtcare here. you can ask for truvada but you have to pay it youself, and truvada is BIG expensive around 500 euro's for 30 pills. and generic cost about €7,50 for 30 pills with the gouverment contribution

[rPup]

The World Health Organization has suggested that people who cannot easily access either Truvada or generic Truvada can safely consider (what would be considered an off label use in the United States) a Rx regimen consisting of these separately dispensed HIV drugs: 

generic Tenofovir (TDF), one of the HIV drugs in Truvada.

generic lamivudine (3TC), which is nearly identical in chemical composition to emtricitabine (FTC), the other drug in Truvada.

The significance of this cannot be underscored enough; as both of those drugs are nearly affordable out of pocket for most in the U.S. to buy both generic without insurance - and the WHO is willing to go out on a limb and suggest this as an option for avoiding infection with HIV.

A pilot study of 40 men who have sex with men using TDF/3TC for oral PrEP was completed in Brazil with zero breakthrough infections reported by completion of the study. Though it has not been through a proper phase 3 trial, its considered an option in countries where TDF/3TC makes more sense.

Why is nobody doing a full study on the effectiveness of TDF/3TC as PrEP? Clinical trials are expensive. Truvada was under patent by Gilead when they paid for the study proving efficacy as PrEP. The payout was coming at the completion of the study. With generics, there’s no financial incentive for a company to investigate a novel prophylaxis treatment with an existing generic drug; there is no exclusivity period for the drug once efficacy has been proven. Short answer? Money!

What does this have to do with side effects and efficacy of generic Truvada? If the WHO is that confident in an alternative treatment being the same and just as safe (even San Francisco health department pushed before generic Truvada was on the market) then Generic Truvada won’t be too different an experience than the name brand. I also wanted to put it out there as an additional option in case it would be helpful.

(Remember, this is not my recommendation! I do not give medical advice. I am not your doctor - as someone who has HIV, ask someone else how you can prevent HIV. I’m not an expert!  An infectious disease specialist is a good start for gathering their thoughts about this WHO recommendation.)

Edited March 27, 2021 by R86
Edited for clarity a few mins later

[cfuckhole]

On 12/4/2020 at 8:17 AM, Cummydaddybear said:

I live in Japan where PReP is stupidly still not available. I have to order generic online (can only order one bottle per order for Japan - annoying). Been on it for about a year now and had not problems. The brand I get is Tenvir made by a pharmaceutical company in India. It is FDA approved and has the same active ingredients as Truvada and much cheaper. 

Yup Tenvir EM by Cipla, works like truvada and much cheaper. Over here the govt provides HAART Atripla as one tablet Tenvir EM and a separate tablet of efavirenz. No issue with Cipla's Tenvir or else the patients here won't have achieved viral suppression in treatment.