If you or a family member suffered kidney damage, osteoporosis, or other health complications related to the use of Tenofovir, you could be eligible to join a Tenofovir lawsuit. Research has linked Tenofovir to serious side effects such as bone fractures and life-threatening conditions like kidney failure and lactic acidosis. Gilead Sciences, the drug’s manufacturer, decided to keep the drug on the market despite the potentially catastrophic side effects. If you believe you suffered harm due to Tenofovir, you could be eligible to receive damages. Speak with a TDF lawsuit attorney to learn more about what your rights are.
What Is Tenofovir?
Tenofovir’s official name is Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate (TDF), and it’s a drug used to treat HIV or hepatitis B. It belongs to the HIV drug class known as nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). These HIV drugs work by blocking reverse transcriptase, a specific enzyme that stops HIV from spreading. TDF cannot cure HIV. However, when used with other medications, Tenofovir can stop HIV from spreading and improve someone’s life expectancy.
These drugs have therapeutic effects, but they are inactive until you ingest them. Once you start on a TDF drug, your own metabolism will kickstart the drug as gut flora in the digestive tract begins to break it down and turn it into medicine. Gilead patented Tenofovir in 1996 and received FDA approval in 2001 for HIV treatment. The FDA approved TDF for chronic hepatitis B in 2008.
Tenofovir is marketed under a variety of brands such as:
- AccessPak for HIV PEP expanded with Viracept,
- AccessPak for HIV PEP expanded with Kaletra,
- Atripla,
- Cimduo,
- Complera,
- PrEP drugs,
- Stripbild,
- Symfi & Symfi Lo,
- Truvada, and
- Viread.
One of the most well-known brands is Truvada, which has been the subject of lawsuits for several years. According to the website Drug Watch, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), there have been 11,381 adverse events related to Truvada alone between January 2005 and September 2019. Of these cases, 718 people died and 8,982 had severe complaints.
TDF versus TAF Drugs
There are safer alternatives to treat HIV and hepatitis B conditions, such as Tenofovir Alafenamide Fumarate (TAF), but Gilead Sciences withheld these from the market for nearly a decade. Truvada was a best-selling drug for Gilead Sciences. Despite having TAF drugs in development for years, they withheld the launch so as not to lose billions of dollars. Drugs like Truvada have a high consumer cost, so it is likely Gilead opted to continue manufacturing drugs they knew had dangerous side effects rather than affect their bottom line.
TAF drugs can be taken in smaller doses when compared to TDF and be less toxic while still providing the same therapeutic effects. It is much less likely that consumers will suffer the same dangerous side effects seen with TDF drugs.
Tenofovir lawsuit attorneys claim Gilead made a conscious decision to let people suffer life-threatening side effects rather than risk losing money. Through a Tenofovir lawsuit attorney, you can help hold Gilead Sciences accountable to you and the thousands of other injured victims.
Gilead Lawsuit Details
If you or a loved one is suffering side effects from a Tenofovir drug, it’s crucial to consider joining a lawsuit against Gilead Sciences. Some of the most common allegations in existing lawsuits allege Gilead:
- Knew there was a safer alternative and opted not to market TAF drugs;
- Refused to rectify known defects in the TDF drug manufacturing process;
- Knowingly misrepresented that TDF drugs were safe and had no dangerous side effects; and
- Failed to warn consumers and medical professionals about the side effects and life-threatening injuries.
When you retain a TDF lawsuit attorney at Gerling Law Injury Attorneys, we can help you pursue damages against Gilead. We have decades of experience representing thousands of clients. Contact our offices today to schedule a free, no-obligation initial consultation to learn more about Tenofovir lawsuits.
TDF Drugs Side Effects
TDF drugs can have a wide range of side effects. Some of the less serious ones include:
- Nausea,
- Diarrhea,
- Skin rash,
- Headaches,
- Weakness, and
- Generalized pain.
The more serious side effects include:
- Loss of height;
- Fluid retention and swelling of ankles, feet, and legs;
- Persistent pain in bones or back;
- Infrequent urination or struggles with urinating;
- Bone fractures from minor events; and
- Confusion.
The most serious side effects include kidney failure, enlargement of the liver, and lactic acidosis.
Long-term kidney damage can occur in one of several ways. The first is a reduction in renal function or total kidney failures, such as acute renal failure (ARF), tubular toxicity, chronic kidney disease (CKD), or chronic renal failure (CRF). Another possible side effect is Fanconi Syndrome, a rare condition where substances that should be absorbed into the bloodstream, like glucose, wind up passing through the urine instead.
Serious bone issues associated with TDF drugs include osteopenia, osteoporosis, avascular necrosis, bone fractures, and diagnostic tests that show bone density loss on BMD/DEXA scans.
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Do I Qualify for a TDF Lawsuit?
If you suffered serious complications from using a TDF drug, such as Tenofovir, you could have the legal right to pursue compensation for your injuries. While monetary compensation cannot reverse the physical damage Tenofovir caused, it can help you ease some of the financial struggles you are facing. To qualify for compensation in a TDF drug lawsuit, you need to have taken one of the TDF brand drugs and developed subsequent injuries linked to Tenofovir use. If you develop any of the conditions mentioned above, then you could be eligible to file a lawsuit against Gilead.
What Types of Compensation Are Available in a Gilead Lawsuit?
If you suffered one or more of the severe side effects linked to Tenofovir drugs, then you could potentially recover the following damages:
- Medical expenses to date;
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation,
- Future medical treatment and costs;
- Lost wages;
- Loss of earning capacity;
- Travel expenses to and from appointments;
- Psychological therapy costs; and
- Vocational and occupational therapy costs;
These damages are known as economic damages, which means they are quantifiable costs. There is a dollar amount that can be attributed to these damages. You could also be eligible to collect some non-economic damages. Non-economic damages are more subjective and do not necessarily use mathematical or scientific methods to reach a figure. Possible non-economic damages available in a Tenofovir lawsuit include:
- Physical pain and suffering,
- Loss of enjoyment,
- Mental anguish,
- Depression and anxiety, and
- Loss of companionship.
In limited circumstances, some claims can include compensation for punitive damages. Punitive damages are reserved for cases that clearly demonstrate gross negligence. It is possible that punitive damages could be awarded in a Gilead lawsuit.
If you lost a loved one as a result of Tenofovir use, you may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim.
This list is not exhaustive as to the potential damages you could receive in a lawsuit against Gilead. Your Tenfovir lawsuit attorney will advise you of the damages you are likely to recover and whether punitive damages might be available in your specific situation.
Hiring a Tenofovir Attorney to Help with Your Case
Pursuing damages for injuries caused by Tenofovir drugs can be a challenging process. You need a skilled lawyer who has extensive experience with dangerous drug cases. At Gerling Law, our legal team will build a strong case to support your claim for damages. Our goal is to help you recover the maximum compensation possible. We can achieve that by gathering evidence that proves liability against Tenofovir's manufacturer, Gilead.
You can assist by gathering all related documentation we will need. Hold on to all paperwork and proof that shows your history of using TDF drugs. Also, keep copies of medical bills, doctor's reports, pay stubs, and any other evidence of your injuries.
Don't fret if you don't have all this information already on hand, as we can issue subpoenas to obtain the rest of your documentation. Once we have enough documentation and evidence, we will start assessing the extent of your damages.
In a case involving a defective drug-like Tenofovir, it's crucial you retain an attorney as soon as possible. We need as much time as possible to gather evidence. There is a statute of limitations we need to be mindful of as well. The statute of limitations is the legal deadline you must adhere to in any type of case. If you file your lawsuit after the deadline has passed, the court will likely dismiss your action, and you will not receive any compensation at all.
Contact a Tenofovir Lawsuit Attorney
If you are ready to learn more about the process of filing a TDF lawsuit, contact the legal team at Gerling Law to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. You need a law firm with the necessary skills and financial resources to take on a drug manufacturer like Gilead. At Gerling Law, we have decades of experience handling thousands of personal injury cases. You can rest assured we will do whatever is necessary to assist you in getting the compensation you are owed. Meet with us to learn more about how we can help. Remember,
