FDA Panel Seems to Back Pill to Help Prevent HIV

Truvada's been shown to stop infection with AIDS virus, but critics see drawbacks

May 9, 2012 RSS Feed Print

Truvada can also cause a long list of side effects, including gastrointestinal problems. And it's costly, with prices in the United States tagged at about $26 a day or $10,000 a year. Still, a study released this year found the drug would be cost-effective if used extensively by gay and bisexual men at high risk of becoming infected.

For his part, Paltiel said his research came to the same conclusion: That widespread usage of the drug in high-risk people would be "as cost-effective as other widely accepted public health and medical interventions."

More information

Find out more about HIV/AIDS at the U.S. National Library of Medicine.