Question
Are there new drugs and why are old ones still used?
17 October 2016. Related: Access to treatment, All topics, Side effects.
Are there any new drugs since 2000? If so, why do HIV consultants continue to prescribe old drugs despite reports of severe side effects?
Answer
Hi
Thanks for your question.
You didn’t say which country you are in, but every country has seen many new drugs prescribed since 2000.
Very few older drugs are still used in most countries.
A few exceptions are lamivudine (3TC) which has very few side effects.
Another is efavirenz, which is good at treating HIV but definitely has more complex side effects. In countries where efavirenz is still prescribed – including the UK – this is because it is now a very inexpensive drug. If someone gets side effects though, they should have the option to change to alternative.
This link has more information about UK drug choice including costs:
https://i-base.info/guides/starting/nhs-changes-and-generic-drugs
So overall, this is for cost.
Hi Amy, your doctor is right. Efavirenz does need to be taken at night to reduce the dizzy feeling that is one of the side effects. As long as your CD4 count is under 200 copies/mL, the treatment is all still likely to be working. I can’t comment on the pain without more information, but this is something to tell the doctor about. Even if this combination needs to be changed, nearly all countries now have second-line treatment. In practice though, most people stay on their first treatment for many years.
Please I have being taking efavirenz and truvada combination when I started my cd4 increased to 523, 436 and now 245 because i changed to morning dose and my viral load from <20 now 46 though I eat well but always have stressful days. Now my doctor said the drugs r made for night and I should change my timing which I started immediately but I have started experiencing little pains as in before I was diagnosed. What am afriad is what they called second line, when the first line fails. Is there anything like secondline of is just for me to change drugs? Thanks