Descovy - Prescription Medication for HIV Prevention

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What is Descovy used for?

Last updated on Oct 27, 2023. What is Descovy? Descovy is an antiviral combination medicine that is used together with other HIV medications in adults and children who are at least 12 years old and weigh at least 17 kilograms (37 pounds, to treat HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). HIV can cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

What are the active ingredients in Descovy?

Descovy contains two active ingredients: emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide. Descovy is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to: Treat HIV: Descovy is FDA-approved for use in combination with other HIV medications to treat HIV in adults and in children who weigh at least 35 kilograms (kg), which is about 77 pounds (lb).

Does Descovy treat HIV?

Descovy is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat HIV in adults and certain children. It’s also approved for use as HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in certain adults and adolescents.* HIV PrEP is used to prevent someone from getting HIV. * Adolescents describes children ages 12 years and older.

How does Descovy work as prep?

If your doctor has prescribed the drug, you may be wondering how Descovy works as PrEP. Descovy contains two active drugs: emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide. Both drugs prevent HIV from multiplying (making copies of itself). To do this, the drugs work to block a certain enzyme that HIV needs to multiply.

How does Descovy work?

DESCOVY helps block HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, a viral chemical (enzyme) in your body that is needed for HIV-1 to multiply. DESCOVY lowers the amount of HIV in the blood (viral load). DESCOVY may also help to increase the number of T cells (CD4+ cells), allowing your immune system to improve.

What happens if I miss a dose of Descovy?

If you are taking DESCOVY for treatment of HIV-1, the amount of virus in your blood may increase if the medicine is stopped for even a short time. The virus may develop resistance to DESCOVY and become harder to treat. If you are taking DESCOVY for HIV-1 PrEP, missing doses increases your risk of getting HIV-1 infection.

Can Descovy be used if pregnant or planning a pregnancy?

Pregnant or planning a pregnancy? Treatment of HIV-1 Infection: DESCOVY is indicated in combination with other antiretroviral agents for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults and paediatric patients weighing at least 25kg.

Is Descovy safe and effective for treatment of HIV-1 infection?

It is not known if DESCOVY for treatment of HIV-1 infection is safe and effective in children who weigh less than 31 pounds (14 kg). It is not known if DESCOVY is safe and effective in reducing the risk of HIV-1 infection in people who weigh less than 77 pounds (35 kg). • you already have HIV-1 infection.

What Is Descovy

1. https://www.drugs.com/descovy.html
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3. https://www.healthline.com/health/drugs/descovy
4. https://www.nps.org.au/medicine-finder/descovy-200-25-mg-tablets
5. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327102
6. https://www.medicine.com/drug/descovy
7. https://clinicalinfo.hiv.gov/en/drugs/emtricitabine-tenofovir-alafenamide/patient
8. https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-171500/descovy-oral/details

Descovy Information

1. https://www.gilead.com/-/media/files/pdfs/medicines/hiv/descovy/descovy_patient_pi.pdf
2. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2021/208215s017lbl.pdf
3. https://mydr.com.au/medicines/descovy/
4. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/medicines/brand/amt,852481000168100/descovy-200-25-mg