Truvada Isn't As Hard On Your System As We Once Thought

Truvada Isn’t As Hard On Your System As We Once Thought

Originally intended to be used exclusively by medical professionals and those working in high-risk environments, Truvada (PrEP) was approved by the FDA.

Health information, published July 2016 and updated October 2026. This is not medical advice; see how we source health stories.

What changed, October 2026: This story first ran in July 2016, and a lot has changed since.

Generic Truvada arrived in 2020, and most US insurance plans now have to cover PrEP at no cost. There are also more ways to take PrEP: a second daily pill (Descovy), a shot every two months (Apretude) and, since 2025, a shot every six months (Yeztugo). The study described below still holds up. PrEP still means an HIV test before you start and regular check-ins after, including kidney checks for the pills, so talk to a provider about which option fits your life.

On this page

Originally intended to be used exclusively by medical professionals and those working in high-risk environments, Truvada (Pre-exposure prophylaxis) was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for widespread use in July 2012. Several studies have shown that the daily use of Truvada reduced the risk of HIV acquisition, some providing figures as high as 99% prevention rates.

So why aren’t all gay men on this medication?

Brand-name Truvada was once an expensive medication, especially for those uninsured or underinsured. However, generic versions have been available since 2020, and under the Affordable Care Act most insurance plans must cover PrEP, plus related visits and lab tests, at no cost. So why are some still hesitant to jump on this prevention regimen?

Claims of alleged side effects

Much of the conversation and initial resistance to taking the pill for prevention purposes surrounded the potential dangers and side effects of this drug. Some reports cited kidney failure and drug resistance, while gastrointestinal bleeding remained a concern to others.

What this new study shows

Researchers from the UCLA school of medicine published a report in Open Forum Infectious Diseases supporting the claim that Truvada is as safe as aspirin for daily use. They implemented a method that measured the numbers needed to harm (NHH), effectively giving each medication a score on the frequency of reported side effects over five major studies for PrEP and two for aspirin.

The study overall concludes that user safety of PrEP for daily prevention is comparable to the daily use of aspirin. However, the study did point out that further longitudinal studies must be performed to determine the safety of long-term use as a means of HIV prevention. Keep in mind that PrEP still needs medical follow-up: an HIV test before you start and regularly afterward, plus kidney checks, because starting PrEP during an undetected HIV infection can lead to drug resistance.

Generic Truvada is here

Remember the astronomical costs of the brand-name version? A generic version of emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate launched in the US in late 2020.

And Truvada isn’t the only option anymore. Today’s PrEP options include daily pills (Truvada, its generic, or Descovy) and long-acting shots (Apretude every two months, Yeztugo every six months).

Sources

Checked October 2026.

About the writer

Beatus Hoang

Bae is an exotic cuisine connoisseur, beauty enthusiast, and digital marketing professional who also lives in South Florida. He is the creative mastermind behind TAG’s responsive design and user experience. With a background in acting and performance, Bae contributes a flavor of fun and sassiness to much of the content housed on The Authentic Gay. When he is not doing crazy SEO stuff, you can find him dancing with no pants on, or collecting gourmet soy candles.

Suggest a correction