Florida TDF Lawsuit Lawyers
Are you interested in filing a Florida TDF lawsuit? You should know that TDF lawsuits are currently being filed by Florida TDF lawyers on behalf of Florida residents against Gilead Sciences Inc, the maker of the drug Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate (TDF for short). If you or a loved one has taken TDF and suffered certain side effects, a Florida TDF lawsuit may be the way to hold Gilead accountable for the damages you have suffered.
Call us at (813) 259-0022 or fill out a contact form to see if our Florida TDF lawyers can help. Its free to find out and you do not owe us anything unless we recover damages on your behalf.
What is TDF?
Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate, also known as TDF, is an antiviral medication used to treat the HIV virus. Gilead has sold TDF under the brand names:
TDF is not a cure for HIV. Instead, it helps keep the virus under control and helps prevent it from converting into AIDS.
TDF belongs to a class of HIV medicines that are known as nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). They work by blocking an HIV enzyme called reverse transcriptase. By blocking the enzyme, TDF prevents the HIV virus from multiplying. The end result is a large reduction in the amount of the virus in the body. The upside of taking the drug is that many people would not be alive today without it.
The downside of taking TDF is that it has a very low bioavailability. This means it is not readily absorbed by the body. So very high doses of TDF are necessary for it to be effective. Because of the high doses used, studies have linked it to an increased risk of causing kidney and bone damage.
Why Are Florida Residents Filing TDF Lawsuits?
According to the LA Times, Gilead was aware well before it obtained FDA approval to sell TDF, that the drug could cause bone and kidney damage. Worse yet, at the time Gilead was getting FDA approval to sell TDF, it was also researching a different version of the drug called TAF. This other drug was more effective against HIV and was far less likely to cause kidney or bone damage. Gilead chose to sell TDF instead of the more effective and safer TAF. TDF lawsuits allege Gilead made this decision so it could ensure decades of profits at the expense of HIV infected patients.
Gilead obtained a patent on TDF preventing other drug companies from selling a generic version of it. Gilead then sold TDF without competition until the patent ran out. Once the patent for TDF was running out, Gilead applied for and received FDA approval to begin selling TAF, the more effective and safer drug. Because Gilead has a patent on TAF, it can now sell it without competition until its patent runs out. The TDF lawsuits allege this was all part of choice by Gilead executives to knowingly expose HIV patients to the increased risk of kidney and bone damage caused by TDF instead of immediately bringing TAF to market.
Scientific Studies Demonstrtate TDF is Toxic to Bones and Kidneys
The original formulation of the drug had to be given by intravenous administration. In 1997, Gilead found a way to turn it into a pill. TDF lawyers allege that Gilead knew as early as 2000 that this pill version of TDF would cause severe kidney and bone damage when taken over time. After the drug was released for sale in 2001, non-Gilead scientists began studying its side effects. Those scientists confirmed what Gilead allegedly already knew. Below are some of the current results of those studies:
Bone Damage
- In 2018 researchers concluded that TDF treatment is linked to bone density loss. They also concluded that switching to another HIV drug caused the bone density loss to improve.
- In 2016 researchers concluded that TDF caused a one to three percent larger bone mineral density loss than other HIV medications.
- In 2015 researchers concluded that HIV patients that received drugs other than TDF had significantly fewer kidney and bone health issues.
- In 2010 researchers published a study in which they concluded there was a strong correlation between ingesting TDF and loss of bone density.
Kidney Damage
- In 2018 researchers found that renal function was decreased in HIV patients with hepatitis B that were taking TDF.
- In 2017 researchers found that TDF use over time is significantly associated with the development of chronic kidney disease.
- In 2013 researchers found a link between TDF and kidney disease.
- In 2010 researchers concluded TDF was associated with a significant loss of kidney function.
Gilead Knew TAF Was Safer Than TDF as Early as 2001
TDF lawsuits allege that Gilead was already working a ways to reduce the kidney and bone toxicity of TDF when it began selling the drug in 2001. In April of 2001, it published research of TAF that showed it was much more effective at treating HIV and that it might be far less toxic. Gilead even paid doctors to use TAF in small clinical trials. Although the results were very promising, Gilead chose not to publish them. Instead in 2004 Gilead chose to abruptly end its research into TAF while it was making billions of dollars selling TDF.
In 2009 as TDF’s patent was running out, Gilead suddenly began researching TAF again. By 2015, TAF was approved by the FDA to sell. At that time Gilead began encouraging doctors to switch their patients to TAF to reduce the possible harm to their kidneys and bones.
Injuries Associated With TDF
TDF lawyers believe the following injuries are associated with taking TDF:
- Kidney failure
- Kidney damage
- Acute Kidney disease
- Chronic Kidney disease
- Fanconi syndrome
- Tubular dysfunction
- Osteoporosis
- Osteopenia
- Bone fractures
- Bone loss
TDF Lawyers May File Florida TDF Lawsuits
Whether your TDF lawsuit is filed in Florida or any other state, TDF lawsuits are not part of a class action. Instead, they are filed on an individual basis. Our Florida TDF attorneys will gather the evidence for your claim and decide where to file your lawsuit. However, if you file a Florida TDF lawsuit, it will likely be consolidated into multi district litigation. This means the one judge will decide things for all TDF lawsuits. However, each lawsuit will still remain separate. In other words, your case will be handled on an individual basis. So compensation will be decided based on the merits and damages for each individual case.
Florida TDF Lawsuit Lawyer Lawyer Near Me (813) 259-0022
Distasio Law Firm
Distasio Law Firm is based in Tampa, Florida. But we can handle your case anywhere in Florida. It’s out mission to make corporate wrongdoers take responsibility for their actions. If you have suffered kidney damage or bone damage from taking a TDF drug, give us a call at (813) 259-0022.
No Fee Unless We Get a Recovery On Your Behalf
Because we charge a contingency fee, you do not owe us anything unless we get compensation for you. Furthermore, we will provide a you with a free case evaluation. Simply call us or fill out our online contact form to see if you qualify for us to represent you.
Looking for a TDF Lawsuit Attorney in Florida? Call 813-259-0022 Today!
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The Distasio Law Firm Difference
How do you know if you have hired the best Florida TDF lawsuit lawyer? The simplest way to know is to find a lawyer that has all the below characteristics.
- Knowledge and Understanding of TDF Lawsuit Injury Claims
Your lawyer should not only know the kinds of injuries and harm drugs like TDF are causing. That lawyer should also have years of experience handling mass torts and defective drug cases. Scott Distasio has been handling these cases for over 29 years. His years of experience investigating, negotiating, settling, filing lawsuits, taking depositions, and going to trial will absolutely make a difference in your case. - Independent Verification of the Lawyers Ability
All attorneys claim they know what they are doing. Their marketing materials may also be persuasive. But you will only know the truth about that lawyer if the lawyer is rated by respected independent non-biased rating systems. Scott Distasio has an “AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell law Directory. This is the highest rating an attorney can receive for both ability and ethics. Scott Distasio is also Board Certified by the Florida Bar in Trial law. To achieve this accomplishment a lawyer must have tried a minimum number of cases to a jury and pass a competency exam. Less than 1% of all Florida lawyers are Board Certified. - Willingness and Ability to Go to Trial
Not all personal injury cases go to trial. The truth is most cases settle. But if your case does need to go to trial it’s important to hire a law firm that has the experience, resources and ability to try your case. Scott Distasio is a board certified civil trial lawyer. This gives him the right to call himself an expert trial lawyer.
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