Emtricitabine / tenofovir disoproxil fumarate

Emtricitabine / tenofovir is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, or NRTI. NRTIs work by preventing the HIV virus from multiplying and can reduce the amount of the HIV virus in the body.

HIV tests can miss an HIV infection if the person has recently been infected. If you have flu-like symptoms, such as fever, joint or muscle aches, tiredness, or vomiting, either within the last month or any time while you're taking emtricitabine/tenofovir, let your healthcare provider know.

Let your medical provider know right away if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Do not take if you are breastfeeding.

Emtricitabine / tenofovir can interact with some medications, so keep a list of all of the medications that you take and tell your healthcare provider about them. People taking emtricitabine / tenofovir to prevent HIV will also need to be regularly tested for HIV and kidney function.

There are some more common side effects associated with emtricitabine / tenofovir. These include weight loss, headache, and abdominal pain. Fortunately, however, these side effects subside after a week or two.

There are some potential serious side effects of emtricitabine / tenofovir. These include kidney problems, liver problems, and bone problems. Emtricitabine / tenofovir.can also lead to a rare but serious medical condition called lactic acidosis, or too much lactic acid in your blood, so tell your medical provider right away if you experience symptoms such as unusual muscle pain, cold or blue hands or feet, a fast or abnormal heartbeat, or stomach pain with vomiting and nausea.

You must be negative for HIV before you begin taking emtricitabine / tenofovir for PrEP. You should not take emtricitabine / tenofovir if you are HIV positive or don't know your status. Get tested for HIV before taking emtricitabine / tenofovir, and every three months while you are taking it. Let your healthcare provider know if you think you may have been exposed to HIV.

Emtricitabine / tenofovir is a daily pill. Missing a dose could increase your risk of getting an HIV infection, so make sure to take it each day as directed by your medical provider.

Even when you are taking emtricitabine / tenofovir, you should observe safer sex practices, such as knowing your HIV status and the status of your partners, talking about your status with your partners, using latex or polyurethane condoms, and getting tested for other STIs.

Consultation
Anyone who requests a PrEP evaluation will be charged $30 for the medical consultation. This covers your online medical consultation and review of your lab test results, and includes unlimited messaging about PrEP with our medical team for three months until your next renewal— so you can ask questions about your lab tests or medication any time during that period. Each time your renewal for PrEP you will be charged $30 for the medical consultation. Please note that at this time, we do not submit claims to insurance for the medical consult fee.

Medication
If you have insurance, our team will bill your plan for the medication, and you’ll only be responsible for any copay. Please connect with your insurance company if you would like to learn more about your copay. If you are not using insurance, the medication price can vary. Note that 99% of our patients can access this medication for $0 with payment assistance programs.

Non-Home Testing
Before you begin PrEP you must get lab tests to confirm that you are HIV negative and have healthy kidneys. You are welcome to have your labs done at a local lab like LabCorp® or Quest®. Once you have submitted your request for PrEP, simply message us and tell us that you would like lab testing at a local lab. Pricing at local labs is dependent on your insurance coverage. We recommend calling your insurance company in advance to find out your preferred in-network laboratory.

If you contact your insurance company to clarify your coverage for laboratory testing, we’d recommend asking them the following questions:

• Do I have to use an in-network lab for lab testing?
• If yes: What laboratories are covered?
• Is your partner lab covered?
• Do I have a deductible for lab testing?

Yes, we accept most forms of private health insurance for medications, and many insurance plans cover PrEP. If you’d like to know if we accept your health insurance plan, please connect with our team at [email protected]. Please note that at this time, we do not submit claims to insurance for the medical consult fee.

Starting and staying on PrEP requires lab work that may or may not be covered by your insurance. Our team can help you understand what your insurance will cover and what your out-of-pockets costs will be. If you don’t have insurance and are concerned about cost, please contact our team for more information and details on how to make PrEP affordable for you.

Nurx does not accept any federal or state government insurance plans, such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, or any of their affiliated managed care plans, nor can Nurx service such patients. We recommend that you find a local provider in your community that participates in your government payer program.