How To Check For Drug Interactions With PrEP

In this video I just wanted to share how to quickly check for any interactions between PrEP and prescription medications you may be taking.

While Truvada (Tenofovir & Emtricitabine) are a well tolerated medication there are a few drugs that can interact. In particular, medications that can affect the kidneys are always worth checking with your doctor.

The site I recommend to check for drug interactions is the University of Liverpools site:

For users of PrEP you can either choose to use the trade name – Truvada,  or it’s individual medications – Emtricitabine & Tenofovir-DF. Once checked off you can then go to the second column where you check the other medications you wish to check. Don’t forget there are generic versions of Truvada such as Tenvir-EM and Ricovir-EM, both are commonly used in Australia for those who import PrEP.

• Green bars for each drug indicate no drug interactions have not been noted.
• Yellow/Orange bars indicate potential drug interactions.
• Red bars indicate well established drug interactions and are best avoided with the HIV drugs you have checked.
• For people living with HIV as well as those on PrEP this is a very helpful site to ensure any potential drug interactions can be avoided.

Of course remember that we are all individuals and we can all have unique responses to different medications. For this reason it’s important to discuss all new medications with your doctor, even ones over the counter.

There can be serious drug interactions between some HIV medications with party drugs so again, talk with your doctor to help avoid harm.

Dr George Forgan-Smith