Take Descovy for PrEP and HIV Prevention

What is Descovy for PrEP?

Descovy for PrEP is a newer formulation of PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) that was approved for use in HIV prevention by the US FDA in October 2019. It is developed by Gilead Sciences and more widely used in the USA.

Descovy contains two antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) combined in one tablet:

• Emtricitabine (FTC), 200mg
• Tenofovir Alafenamide (TAF), 25mg

When taken daily as PrEP, Descovy has been shown to be as effective as Truvada in preventing HIV. One study has also shown that Descovy might cause fewer bone and kidney-related problems than Truvada, because of the difference in active ingredient (TAF vs TDF) used.

How to use Descovy

Descovy is essentially taken the same way as Truvada taken daily:

• Take a Descovy pill once a day, with or without food
• Take Descovy everyday, not just when you’ve been exposed to HIV
• Do not miss any doses of Descovy, as doing so may increase your risk of getting HIV

Important things to note when taking Descovy for PrEP:

• You must be HIV negative before you start and while taking Descovy for PrEP: Do not take Descovy for PrEP if you already have HIV or do not know your HIV status, or your HIV may become harder to treat in the future
• Descovy helps reduce the risk of HIV, but does not prevent other sexually transmitted infections (STIs): You still need to take other preventative measures to reduce the risk of getting STIs

Descovy vs Truvada

Most people who choose to take Descovy for PrEP over Truvada do so because it seems to exhibit lesser side effects compared to Truvada. Based on the Discover Trial, those taking Descovy experienced less diarrhoea, nausea, fatigue, and abdominal pain compared to those taking Truvada. It also appears to be better for people with pre-existing kidney problems.

At the very least, Descovy gives people who were previously unable to, or advised not to use Truvada (or generic Truvada) an additional option for PrEP medication.

As a more recent formulation of PrEP, trials for Descovy as PrEP are more limited compared to Truvada for PrEP. For example, trials for Descovy medication have only been done on cisgender men who have sex with men, and it has yet to be trialled on other groups of people. It has also only been tested as a daily pill, and not event-based dosing.

Descovy is also more expensive than Truvada in most parts of the world, given the fact that it is a more recent formulation. However, the availability of generic Descovy such as Taficita and Tafero EM make it more affordable as an alternative to generic Truvada.

Generic Descovy

Two versions of generic Descovy are currently available:

• Taficita by Mylan (now know as Viatris)
• Tafero EM by Hetero Healthcare

Both products are made of exactly the same formulations as Descovy by Gilead Sciences (Emtricitabine 200mg and Tenofovir Alafenamide 25mg) and work the same way.

We have managed to source both products above at very competitive prices to make generic Descovy for PrEP an affordable alternative to generic Truvada for everyone.

How much does Descovy cost?

Descovy for PrEP can cost as much as $2,000 or more on average for a 30-day supply.

However, you can buy generic Descovy through PrEP Online from as little as $23 per bottle, which lasts for 30 days.

Generic medication is cheaper in general because companies that manufacture them do not have to repeat the costly expenses of developing and marketing a new drug.