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Medications for HIV Infection

Other names: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; AIDS; HIV; HIV Seroconversion Syndrome; HIV/AIDS; Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection; Primary HIV Infection

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Feb 18, 2024.

Medications used to treat HIV are called antiretrovirals (also referred to as ART or ARV) and most people take a combination of these which consists of 2 or more HIV medicines from one or more drug classes. There are 3 medications (Descovy, Truvada, and Apretude) for pre-exposure prophylaxis that reduce the risk of HIV infection in people at high risk.

Common antiretroviral combinations include:   

  • abacavir and lamivudine --ABC/3TC (Epzicom)      
  • abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine -- ABC/DTG/3TC (Triumeq, Triumeq PD)   
  • abacavir, lamivudine, and zidovudine -- ABC/3TC/ZDV (Trizivir)            
  • atazanavir and cobicistat -- ATV/COBI (Evotaz)
  • bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide -- BIC/FTC/ AF (Biktarvy)            
  • cabotegravir and rilpivirine -- CAB/RPV (Cabenuva)             
  • darunavir and cobicistat -- DRV/COBI (Prezcobix)         
  • darunavir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide -- DRV/COBI/FTC/TAF (Symtuza)           
  • dolutegravir and lamivudine -- DTG/3TC (Dovato)
  • dolutegravir and rilpivirine -- DTG/RPV (Juluca)
  • doravirine, lamivudine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate -- DOR/3TC/TDF (Delstrigo)            
  • efavirenz, emtricitabine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate -- EFV/FTC/TDF (Atripla)
  • efavirenz, lamivudine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate -- EFV/3TC/TDF (Symfi, Symfi Lo)            
  • elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide -- EVG/COBI/FTC/TAF (Genvoya)           
  • elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate -- QUAD, EVG/COBI/FTC/TDF (Stribild)
  • emtricitabine, rilpivirine, and tenofovir alafenamide -- FTC/RPV/TAF (Odefsey)           
  • emtricitabine, rilpivirine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate -- FTC/RPV/TDF (Complera)
  • lamivudine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate -- 3TC/TDF (Cimduo)
  • lamivudine and zidovudine -- 3TC/ZDV (Combivir)
  • lopinavir and ritonavir -- LPV/RTV (Kaletra).

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)

The following combinations are also used for PrEP and aim to reduce the risk of HIV infection in uninfected individuals who are at high risk:

  • emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide -- FTC/TAF (Descovy)            
  • emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate -- FTC/TDF (Truvada)
  • cabotegravir (Apretude).

Individual treatments for HIV

Individual ARV treatments can be grouped into the following seven drug classes:

Drugs used to treat HIV Infection

The following list of medications are in some way related to or used in the treatment of this condition.

Filter
Drug name Rating Reviews Activity ? Rx/OTC Pregnancy CSA Alcohol
Truvada 6.7 15 reviews for Truvada to treat HIV Infection
Rx B N
Generic name:
emtricitabine / tenofovir systemic
Drug class:
antiviral combinations
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
Biktarvy 7.0 196 reviews for Biktarvy to treat HIV Infection
Rx N
Generic name:
bictegravir / emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide systemic
Drug class:
antiviral combinations
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
Descovy 5.4 8 reviews for Descovy to treat HIV Infection
Rx N
Generic name:
emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide systemic
Drug class:
antiviral combinations
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
Atripla 9.1 103 reviews for Atripla to treat HIV Infection
Rx D N X
Generic name:
efavirenz / emtricitabine / tenofovir systemic
Drug class:
antiviral combinations
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
Norvir 1.0 3 reviews for Norvir to treat HIV Infection
Rx B N
Generic name:
ritonavir systemic
Drug class:
protease inhibitors, antiviral boosters
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
Triumeq 8.3 126 reviews for Triumeq to treat HIV Infection
Rx C N X
Generic name:
abacavir / dolutegravir / lamivudine systemic
Drug class:
antiviral combinations
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
Dovato 6.3 43 reviews for Dovato to treat HIV Infection
Rx N
Generic name:
dolutegravir / lamivudine systemic
Drug class:
antiviral combinations
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
Isentress 8.6 17 reviews for Isentress to treat HIV Infection
Rx C N
Generic name:
raltegravir systemic
Drug class:
integrase strand transfer inhibitor
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
Tivicay 6.8 19 reviews for Tivicay to treat HIV Infection
Rx B N
Generic name:
dolutegravir systemic
Drug class:
integrase strand transfer inhibitor
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
bictegravir / emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide 7.0 198 reviews for bictegravir / emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide to treat HIV Infection
Rx N
Generic name:
bictegravir / emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide systemic
Brand name:
Biktarvy
Drug class:
antiviral combinations
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
AHFS DI Monograph
Symtuza 8.3 9 reviews for Symtuza to treat HIV Infection
Rx N
Generic name:
cobicistat / darunavir / emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide systemic
Drug class:
antiviral combinations
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
Cabenuva 8.2 17 reviews for Cabenuva to treat HIV Infection
Rx N
Generic name:
cabotegravir / rilpivirine systemic
Drug class:
antiviral combinations
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
Prezista 7.7 4 reviews for Prezista to treat HIV Infection
Rx C N
Generic name:
darunavir systemic
Drug class:
protease inhibitors
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
dolutegravir / lamivudine 6.4 44 reviews for dolutegravir / lamivudine to treat HIV Infection
Rx N
Generic name:
dolutegravir / lamivudine systemic
Brand name:
Dovato
Drug class:
antiviral combinations
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
AHFS DI Monograph
Genvoya 7.3 127 reviews for Genvoya to treat HIV Infection
Rx B N
Generic name:
cobicistat / elvitegravir / emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide systemic
Drug class:
antiviral combinations
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
cobicistat / darunavir / emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide 8.3 9 reviews for cobicistat / darunavir / emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide to treat HIV Infection
Rx N
Generic name:
cobicistat / darunavir / emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide systemic
Brand name:
Symtuza
Drug class:
antiviral combinations
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
AHFS DI Monograph
emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide 5.4 8 reviews for emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide to treat HIV Infection
Rx N
Generic name:
emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide systemic
Brand name:
Descovy
Drug class:
antiviral combinations
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
AHFS DI Monograph
cabotegravir / rilpivirine 8.2 17 reviews for cabotegravir / rilpivirine to treat HIV Infection
Rx N
Generic name:
cabotegravir / rilpivirine systemic
Brand name:
Cabenuva
Drug class:
antiviral combinations
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
AHFS DI Monograph
cabotegravir Rate Add review
Rx N
Generic name:
cabotegravir systemic
Brand name:
Vocabria
Drug class:
integrase strand transfer inhibitor
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
AHFS DI Monograph
lenacapavir Rate Add review
Rx N
Generic name:
lenacapavir systemic
Brand name:
Sunlenca
Drug class:
miscellaneous antivirals
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
AHFS DI Monograph
Stribild 9.5 89 reviews for Stribild to treat HIV Infection
Rx B N
Generic name:
cobicistat / elvitegravir / emtricitabine / tenofovir systemic
Drug class:
antiviral combinations
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
Sunlenca Rate Add review
Rx N
Generic name:
lenacapavir systemic
Drug class:
miscellaneous antivirals
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
Complera 8.3 59 reviews for Complera to treat HIV Infection
Rx B N
Generic name:
emtricitabine / rilpivirine / tenofovir systemic
Drug class:
antiviral combinations
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
Reyataz 8.8 4 reviews for Reyataz to treat HIV Infection
Rx B N
Generic name:
atazanavir systemic
Drug class:
protease inhibitors
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
Epzicom 10 6 reviews for Epzicom to treat HIV Infection
Rx C N X
Generic name:
abacavir / lamivudine systemic
Drug class:
antiviral combinations
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information

Frequently asked questions

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Topics under HIV Infection

Alternative treatments for HIV Infection

The following products are considered to be alternative treatments or natural remedies for HIV Infection. Their efficacy may not have been scientifically tested to the same degree as the drugs listed in the table above. However there may be historical, cultural or anecdotal evidence linking their use to the treatment of HIV Infection.

Legend

Rating For ratings, users were asked how effective they found the medicine while considering positive/adverse effects and ease of use (1 = not effective, 10 = most effective).
Activity Activity is based on recent site visitor activity relative to other medications in the list.
Rx Prescription only.
OTC Over-the-counter.
Rx/OTC Prescription or Over-the-counter.
Off-label This medication may not be approved by the FDA for the treatment of this condition.
EUA An Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) allows the FDA to authorize unapproved medical products or unapproved uses of approved medical products to be used in a declared public health emergency when there are no adequate, approved, and available alternatives.
Expanded Access Expanded Access is a potential pathway for a patient with a serious or immediately life-threatening disease or condition to gain access to an investigational medical product (drug, biologic, or medical device) for treatment outside of clinical trials when no comparable or satisfactory alternative therapy options are available.
Pregnancy Category
A Adequate and well-controlled studies have failed to demonstrate a risk to the fetus in the first trimester of pregnancy (and there is no evidence of risk in later trimesters).
B Animal reproduction studies have failed to demonstrate a risk to the fetus and there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women.
C Animal reproduction studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus and there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in humans, but potential benefits may warrant use in pregnant women despite potential risks.
D There is positive evidence of human fetal risk based on adverse reaction data from investigational or marketing experience or studies in humans, but potential benefits may warrant use in pregnant women despite potential risks.
X Studies in animals or humans have demonstrated fetal abnormalities and/or there is positive evidence of human fetal risk based on adverse reaction data from investigational or marketing experience, and the risks involved in use in pregnant women clearly outweigh potential benefits.
N FDA has not classified the drug.
Controlled Substances Act (CSA) Schedule
M The drug has multiple schedules. The schedule may depend on the exact dosage form or strength of the medication.
U CSA Schedule is unknown.
N Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.
1 Has a high potential for abuse. Has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. There is a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision.
2 Has a high potential for abuse. Has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions. Abuse may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.
3 Has a potential for abuse less than those in schedules 1 and 2. Has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. Abuse may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.
4 Has a low potential for abuse relative to those in schedule 3. It has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. Abuse may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to those in schedule 3.
5 Has a low potential for abuse relative to those in schedule 4. Has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. Abuse may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to those in schedule 4.
Alcohol
X Interacts with Alcohol.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.