FDA Advisers Back Pill to Help Prevent HIV Infection

Truvada intended for at-risk individuals, including gay and bisexual men and heterosexual couples with one HIV-infected person

May 11, 2012 RSS Feed Print

Truvada, which is manufactured by Gilead Sciences, 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 use 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.