New Mexico Truvada Lawsuit Attorney

Truvada is a once-a-day tablet that is used in combination with a number of other antiretroviral drugs to help individuals manage their human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Gilead Sciences, Inc., first received approval for the drug from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August of 2004.

Truvada is effective as a result of two components, emtricitabine (FTC) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF). These two drugs are known as nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and they work by limiting the activity of an enzyme known as reverse transcriptase, which helps in the replication process of HIV-infected cells.

By essentially stopping the activity of this enzyme, Truvada is able to stop the progression and further development of the virus. However, this is where issues begin to emerge.

Because of its low absorption rate in the body, a substantial amount of the TDF component was included in the Truvada formula. Unfortunately, almost as soon as Gilead first released its TDF-based drugs, studies emerged showing that the component was causing bone demineralization and kidney problems.

Considering that individuals who are HIV positive already face an increased risk of bone loss, frequent use of Truvada can exaggerate the likelihood of an individual developing osteoporosis or suffering from bone fractures – and lawsuits have emerged against Gilead noting that the company failed to adequately warn users of this risk.

But that isn’t where the issue ends either. The toxicity of TDF can weigh heavy on kidneys, causing substantial damage over time. If not properly treated, chronic kidney disease and kidney failure can occur. These are life-threatening conditions that truly leave victims in pain.

Do NOT let your suffering go unheard.

If you live in New Mexico, have taken Truvada, and are now facing serious health complications including bone loss and/or kidney damage, seek out medical attention immediately and then contact the New Mexico Truvada lawsuit attorneys of Onder Law Firm.

Contact us today at (314) 310-7924 for a FREE case evaluation and to learn more about your rights.

Gilead’s History of Legal Trouble

Gilead Sciences is far from being the wholesome company that they appear to be. While Truvada has been of meaningful benefit to users, the company’s failure to warn them of serious risks associated with taking the drug has led to Gilead Sciences facing lawsuits from all throughout the United States.

And this is not the first time the company has faced legal issues. Over their 30 years of operation, the company has come under heavy scrutiny and faced multiple lawsuits including:

• In 2017, two former employees came forward alleging that Gilead Sciences had violated the False Claims Act by providing the Food and Drug Administration misleading information about where the company was sourcing its ingredients from. It was discovered that the company was sourcing from an unapproved vendor in China for over two years.
• A whistleblower came forward in 2019 with accusations that Gilead had essentially bribed healthcare providers to increase the sales of their HIV and hepatitis medications. The company has been accused of paying off doctors’ salaries, upgrading medical equipment and tech for medical providers, and paying healthcare professionals to increase the number of prescriptions written for its drugs.
• In May 2019, Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez confronted Gilead’s CEO, Daniel O’Day, in regards to the exorbitant price of the drug in the United States. Gilead is able to manufacture a month’s supply of the drug for around $6, while they sell it to U.S. residents for around $1,600 to $2,000. Perhaps even more shockingly, the drug is allegedly sold in Australia for $8 for a month’s supply.
• A complaint was filed in 2019 against Gilead in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco with plaintiffs stating that the company engaged in a scheme, along with Bristol-Myers Squibb and Johnson & Johnson, to extend the patent on their drugs in order to charge “exorbitant, supracompetitive” prices. It is being argued that the companies agreed to develop a monopoly in order to corner the HIV drug market.

These lawsuits against the company highlight the importance of holding it responsible for the damages it has caused innocent victims. It is obvious that the pharmaceutical giant places profit above all else and does not care who is hurt in the process of securing sales.

FDA Warns Gilead Sciences Multiple Times

Not only has the Gilead Sciences faced multiple lawsuits surrounding its business practices, but it has also been admonished by the FDA on multiple occasions, including:

• March 14, 2002. The FDA warned Gilead Sciences about making false claims about its TDF-based medication being non-toxic and having zero-risk of causing kidney damage. By this point in time, clinical studies had already shown that there was a potential for health issues.
• July 29, 2003. The FDA once against warned Gilead Sciences about falsely marketing products as being non-toxic. The company was also warned against marketing its drugs for uses they had not yet been approved for.
• July 27, 2014. Even a decade after initial warnings, Gilead Sciences continued to fail to warn consumers of inherent risks associated with taking Truvada. The FDA forced Gilead to remove online information that falsely boasted about the drug’s safety.

HIV Statistics in New Mexico

By recognizing which demographics are most affected by HIV in New Mexico, we can develop a better understanding of those populations most at risk of developing health issues as a result of using Truvada.

As per a 2016 report produced by the New Mexico Department of Health:

• In 2016, 134 adults and adolescents (ages 13 years and older) were diagnosed with new HIV infections in New Mexico.
• Males accounted for the vast majority of new HIV infections (90.3 percent).
• Individuals of Hispanic, White and American Indian/Native American (AI/NA) ethnicities made up 95.5 percent of all new HIV infections in 2016.
• Hispanics had a rate nearly three times higher for new HIV infections in comparison to people of White or American Indian/Native American ethnicity.
• AI/AN had the highest rates of new HIV infections in 2016; the rate was four times the amount of Whites.
• Individuals aged 25 to 34-years old accounted for the age group with the highest percentage of new HIV infections (39.6 percent).
• Men who have sex with men (MSM) accounted for nearly 60 percent of all new HIV infections in males.
• At the end of 2016, there were a total of 3, 442 persons living with HIV infection (Stage-1 through 3) in New Mexico.
• In terms of regions most affected in the state:
  • In 2016, the Metropolitan Region had the largest proportion of HIV infections (53 percent) and the second-highest rate of persons with new HIV infections (9.3 per 100,000 population).
  • The Northwest region had the highest rate of persons with new HIV infection diagnosis (11.7 per 100,000 population) and had the second-highest percentage of people living with HIV (15.7 percent).
  • As per aidsvu.org, counties most affected by HIV in 2016 include Santa Fe County with a rate of 339 per every 100,000 people, Torrance County with 342 cases per every 100,00 people, and Cibola County with 418 cases per every 100,000 people.

If you or someone you love have frequently used Truvada over a prolonged period of time, seek out medical attention immediately to verify whether or not you have begun to suffer from any of its side effects, then seek out the dependable New Mexico defective drug lawsuit attorneys of Onder Law Firm.

Truvada Lawsuit Attorneys Here When You Need Us Most

If you live in New Mexico, were prescribed Truvada to manage your condition, and have begun to suffer from severe medical complications, know that hope still remains. Our trustworthy and dedicated attorneys are committed to fully investigating your claim and securing compelling evidence in order to help you obtain compensation for your pain.

Together with a supporting team of medical specialists, investigators, researchers, and other legal professionals, we will fight for damages that include but are not limited to:

• Medical Bills (past, present, and future)
• Pain and Suffering
• Lost Wages (past, present, and future)
• Loss of Earning Capacity
• Loss of Quality of Life
• Loss of Consortium
• Emotional Damages
• Wrongful Death Damages (if loss of life occurs)

The attorneys of Onder Law Firm have built a reputation on honesty, dependability, and integrity. If you are ready for personalized attention and are ready to hold Gilead Sciences responsible, Onder Law Firm should be your first choice.

When you choose our New Mexico Truvada lawsuit attorneys, you will benefit from:

• No fees unless we win your case.
• Over $3 billion in verdicts and settlements.
• A history of fighting large corporations and pharmaceutical companies.
• A nationally-recognized team of attorneys.
• Open and direct communication with your attorney.
• A team that will be with you every step of the way.
• A team that fully advocates and fights for YOU.
• Attorneys who are more than capable of handling your claim in court.

If you or someone you love has suffered from bone demineralization or kidney damage as a result of using Truvada, our attorneys want to hear your story. Contact Onder Law Firm at (314) 310-7924 to schedule a FREE consultation with our experienced New Mexico defective drug lawsuit attorneys today.