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Texas Truvada Lawsuit Attorney

For those affected, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is no longer a death sentence thanks to innovation within the medical industry. One of the companies that helped to revolutionize how those living with the virus manage their condition, however, is currently under legal trouble.

Gilead Sciences Inc. concealed information from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the users of its pre-exposure prophylaxis drug called Truvada regarding its serious side effects that have been linked to causing bone and kidney complications.

Now, people across the United States are looking for legal representation that can help them win the compensation that Gilead owes them, and the Texas Truvada lawsuit lawyers of Onder Law Firm aim to help them do just that. With years of experience taking big corporations to civil court, we have secured millions of dollars in compensation for our clients, helping them get their lives back on track.

If you or someone you love has experienced severe side effects and complications because of their Truvada use, contact us at (314) 310-7924 to set up your FREE legal consultation with our best Texas Truvada lawsuit attorneys today.

Gilead Sciences Inc. Has Faced Lawsuits Before

Gilead is no stranger to legal issues throughout its operation, with two of the most eye-opening lawsuits filed against the company happening only recently.

U.S. ex rel. Campie v. Gilead Sciences Inc.

The year 2017 brought about a revelation regarding Gilead through a lawsuit filed by two of its former employees. In it, the lawsuit claimed that Gilead allegedly violated the False Claims Act by issuing out misleading information to the FDA about where one of their main active ingredients—emtricitabine (FCT)—used in their drugs Atripla, Emtriva, and Truvada was supplied from.

The FDA only approved sources from the United States, Germany, Canada, and South Korea, but between 2008 and 2010, Gilead sourced FCT from an unapproved source in China instead, unbeknown to the FDA. This decision earned the company $5 billion in funds taken from federal healthcare programs but would eventually backfire.

In 2014, two recalls were issued out for their products containing FCT, but even so, this case would ultimately be dismissed by the federal government, stating that the decision was made as to not “waste” more resources investigating an incident that was fully investigated.

Tenofovir Alafenamide Fumarate Lawsuits

In the west coast, two California men who used Truvada filed a lawsuit against Gilead, claiming that the company had withheld a safer alternative to tenovofir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), the main ingredient in Truvada that was recently linked to a multitude of complications within its users.

This alternative—known as tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF)—was created around the same time TDF was, but it was found to be just as effective as TDF-based medications at lower, safer doses. However, instead of marketing the TAF-based medication, Gilead allegedly decided to put profits over people.

When Gilead won the patent for Truvada—a TDF-based medication—in 2001, manufacture of the drug happened shortly after. Gilead decided to shelve the development of TAF-based medicines in order to keep the patent on its TDF-based medicines—a move that would give them the opportunity to charge exorbitant prices for these drugs until the patent expired in 2015. From there, the company would market TAF-based medications as a new and improved formula, solidifying their stranglehold on a medication that so many rely on.

The two gentlemen that filed this claim also filed another one specifically to create a class action lawsuit, inviting any others that have been affected by negative side effects stemming from Truvada usage—even as far back as October 26, 2001—to lay their claim for compensation as well.

Because of the California lawsuits, many are coming forward with their stories on a national level on how Gilead betrayed their consumer trust by selling them a defective product in Truvada, knowing full well about the side effects involved.

If any Texas users of Truvada have experienced these negative bone and kidney complications, Onder Law Firm has the best legal experience you need to attain maximum monetary compensation for the injuries that you’ve sustained.

How Truvada Effects the Body

Truvada’s main purpose was to reduce the growth of HIV-infected cells in those living with the virus. It also helps prevent the spread of it to other individuals who held a high chance of contracting it due to certain circumstances. It does this through the use of TDF.

TDF targets the hormone reverse transcriptase that HIV uses to replicate, slowing down the activity of this hormone and bringing the growth and spread of the virus to a halt. But before we pat Gilead on the back, these medications have recently been linked to serious bone and kidney complications because of the TDF they contained.

Aside from Truvada, some of these other TDF-based medications include:

  • Atripla
  • Complera
  • Stribild
  • Viread

Over time, Gilead grew to generate over $11 billion in Truvada sales per year at the expense of their users. The TDF in Truvada causes the bones within the body to lose calcium and other important minerals that keep them strong. A loss of bone mineral density was a common side effect in users of Truvada, making the bones more brittle and thereby more susceptible to breaks and fractures. In fact, approximately 6,000 of Truvada users have broken bones.

Other bone complications that can arise from taking Truvada include:

  • Discomfort in Extremities
  • Decreased Bone Mineral Density
  • Bone Deterioration or Osteoporosis
  • Bone Loss or Osteopenia
  • Dental Complications (e.g. Tooth Decay and Loss)
  • Bone Fractures

Bones weren’t the only part of the body affected by the use of Truvada. Kidney complications like the following developed in users:

  • Chronic Kidney Disease
  • Declining Kidney Function/Decreased Urination
  • Acute Kidney Injury
  • Acute Renal Failure
  • Fanconi Syndrome
  • Kidney Failure

In order to be truly effective, large doses of TDF are required to stop HIV-infected cell replication. Oftentimes, this excess of TDF lingers within the kidneys, causing the aforementioned kidney complications.

However, Truvada has also been found to cause lactic acidosis. This condition causes the pH levels within the body to increase, making the bloodstream more acidic. This condition can cause muscle aches, burning sensations, stomach cramps, nausea, rapid breathing, and even death.

Texas HIV Patients and Truvada

As of 2016 in the state of Texas, 84,802 individuals are living with HIV. Of those affected:

  • 9 percent are African-American
  • 8 percent are Hispanic/Latinx
  • 4 percent are White

Out of those individuals that are living with HIV in Texas, 78.6 percent of them are male while 21.4 percent of these individuals are female. In all, this reflects a rate of 375 people per 100,000 that are affected by the virus statewide.

Willacy, Bee, Frio, Travis, Harris, Houston, Anderson, Coryell, Concho, Reeves, and Garza counties all average a rate around 600 people per 100,000 that are living with HIV, while Borden county alone reflects an astonishing rate of 1,071 people per 100,000 that are living with the virus in 2016. HIV claimed 1,338 people in 2016, meaning that 6 people per 100,000 perished because of the virus. Then in 2017, 4,358 new cases for HIV were diagnosed, reflecting a rate of 19 people per 100,000.

In an effort to take control of the virus, 9,442 individuals began to take HIV drugs like Truvada in 2018, which reflects a rate of 41 people per 100,000. That’s 9,442 people in Texas that are at risk of developing serious bone and kidney complications if they are taking medications that are TDF-based, much like Truvada.

If you or someone you love lives in Texas and is taking Truvada to manage their HIV and are suffering from serious bone and kidney complications, hope still remains. The Texas Truvada lawsuit attorneys want to fight on your behalf for the compensation that is owed to you. Contact us at (314) 310-7924 to get started on your claim today.

The Faces Behind Truvada Use

Currently, there are 136,000 individuals within the United States that use Truvada, Most of these individuals are using the drug for preventative use, which has not been shown to cause health complications.

The victims behind this corporate deceit usually involve those that are most affected by HIV, in this case gay and bisexual men—especially men of color. A 2017 NBC News article claims that nearly 35 percent of gay and bisexual men take the drug to either cease the spread of HIV or stop its development in those living with the virus.

This particular demographic comprises 2 percent of the American population. Out of the gay and bisexual men demographic, 86 percent of African-Americans, 87 percent of Latinos, and 95 percent of White individuals know about Truvada and how it works. Only 26 percent of African-Americans, 30 percent of Latinos, and 40 percent of White gay and bisexual men, however, actually use the drug.

Women who use Truvada—and any other individual that may be taking Truvada who are living with HIV—could use the drug for many different circumstances outside of sexual transmission.

If you or someone you love have used Truvada or other TDF-based medications and have developed severe side effects and symptoms in your bones and kidneys, the Texas Truvada lawsuit attorneys of Onder Law Firm can handle your claim with the experience and respect that you deserve. Contact us at (314) 310-7924 or online to set up your FREE legal consultation today.

Our team is ready to help you with your Truvada case Call (314) 310-7924

This web site is designed for general information only. The information presented at this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. Past results afford no guarantee of future results. Every case is different and must be judged on its own merits. Results include Co-lead counsel on Yaz MDL & co-liaison leadership role in Pradaxa MDL.

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