One of the worst negatives of taking medication is thw worry about those pesky side effects. I love the commercials for medications that treat something like head aches or cold sores, but list among their side effects things like yellowing of eyes or explosive diarrhea. No Charlie, I'll keep my head ache, thank you.
A new study comparing side effects may help the debate on if we should be taking Truvada get a little quieter.
To read in full the side-effects label of any medication, whether it's for a headache or a serious condition, would be shocking to most. Pharmaceutical companies are required to list any and all possible side effects, regardless of how minuscule their chances of occurring may be. And since Truvada was approved for use as PrEP, naysayers have pointed fingers at the ghastly side effects of the drug without taking into consideration the comparison of common medication we use daily.
Now, a new report published in the Oxford Journal has found that PrEP is comparable to one of the most common drugs of all… Aspirin.
Researchers from the University of California Los Angeles compared five major studies on PrEP for HIV infection with two major studies on aspirin Safety. Each medication was given a score based on how numbers needed to harm (NNH), or cause a reported side effect.
The report concluded that the use of Truvada as PrEP was favorable to Aspirin in terms of safety, but that more studies on long-term use were needed. Still, those users who have engaged in short or medium term PrEP should be reassured of the drug’s safety. – hivequal.org
Thanks HIV Equal and Tyler Curry for the update. Now if we can just get rid of one of the worst side effects people taking Truvada are suffering from, the negative social stigma and quick judgment from others.
The rush to judgment on the
The rush to judgment on the part of others, especially those in the LGBTQ community, is based solely on their own inability to recognize that we are sexual creatures and can't face their own desires and wants.
After much debate, I went on Truvada and have seen zero side effects. I am 46 years old and not a big club or bar goer. I don't drink and do not engage in the use of narcotics, except for the occasional encounter with marijuana. I am not out having unprotected sex every night or engaging in group sex. It's just not my preference and I do not judge those that are. What I am saying is that every now and then we all have our moments in the heat of passion that are are risky. I believe that every gay, bi-sexual or straight man should take Truvada who is having sex with other men.
It is true that Truvada can not protect you from other infections but if it works in eradicating HIV & AIDS to near extinction, then we should all do our part and take this drug if it is accessible.