Do you have to take Biktarvy forever?

Biktarvy antiretroviral therapy (ART) is taken indefinitely for HIV-1 infection as it is a complete regimen for both initial and long-term treatment. Stopping ART can increase blood levels of the HIV virus, lead to resistance, increase your risk for HIV infections and complications and increase the chance that you may transmit the infection to others.

• The recommended dose of Biktarvy is one tablet taken by mouth once each day (with or without food). You can take it at any time of the day that’s easiest for you. Sticking to a regular schedule, like at breakfast or at bedtime, may help you remember it more easily. Do not miss any doses.
• For children unable to swallow a whole tablet, the tablet can be split in half, with each part taken separately as long as all parts are swallowed within 10 minutes.

Biktarvy is not a cure for human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection, but achieving and maintaining an undetectable viral load (less than 200 copies/mL) can help you remain healthy over the long-term.

Most people can get an undetectable viral load within 6 months when they take their medicine as prescribed. Regularly visit your healthcare provider to make sure you are staying undetectable and to discuss your ongoing treatment.

What if I think I need to stop Biktarvy treatment?

There may be valid reasons you think you need to stop treatment, but it's important to contact your doctor first. For example, if you are having side effects from Biktarvy, or you cannot access your medicine because of cost or lack of transportation, or you have other reasons that make you want to stop treatment, contact your healthcare provider who can help you with answers.

You should not stop treatment or change your dose without speaking to your healthcare provider first. If you stop, the virus may develop resistance to Biktarvy and become harder to treat. Even if you feel well it is important to continue your ART.

Bikytarvy is well-tolerated in most people. Side effects, if they occur, are usually mild, temporary and can be managed. Sometimes you might notice side effects only at the beginning of treatment. The most common side effects in clinical studies lasting almost 3 years were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

Related: Learn more about Biktarvy side effects and warnings

If you stop taking Biktarvy, your doctor will need to check you and take blood tests regularly for several months to monitor your liver. You may need to take medication to treat hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is a viral infection of the liver that can lead to liver damage (cirrhosis), liver cancer, and death.

Why take Biktavry?

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and infectious disease specialists recommend antiretroviral therapy (ART) such as Biktarvy for all individuals with HIV to reduce illness and death associated with HIV infection and to prevent transmission. ART should be initiated immediately, or as soon as possible, after an HIV diagnosis.

People with HIV infection should be prescribed ART with a goal of achieving and maintaining viral suppression (less than 200 copies per milliliter [mL] of blood). This will help you remain healthy and prevent transmission of the virus to others through sex (oral, anal or vaginal) and from mother to child during pregnancy and birth. This is known as “treatment as prevention”.

It can also substantially lower the risk (but does eliminate) during breastfeeding and may lower transmission risk with syringe or equipment sharing, although those chances of transmission are unknown.

HIV medicine can make the viral load so low that the virus cannot be detected with a blood test. This is called an undetectable viral load. Your doctor will regularly monitor your viral load.

Related: What other medications are approved to treat HIV?

Related questions

• Which medicines should not be taken with Biktarvy?
• Can Biktarvy be used for PrEP or PEP?
• What if I miss a dose of Biktarvy?

How is Biktarvy used?

Biktarvy (emtricitabine, tenofovir alafenamide, bictegravir) is a complete, once-daily, single tablet regimen approved by the FDA to treat HIV infection in adults and children weighing at least 14 kg (31 lb). It can be used by patients:

• who have not taken antiretroviral HIV treatment in the past OR
• to replace the current HIV-1 medicine in people who are virologically suppressed (HIV-1 RNA less than 50 copies per mL) on a stable antiretroviral regimen with no known or suspected substitutions associated with resistance to bictegravir or tenofovir.

Because Biktarvy is a complete regimen you do not need to use it with other HIV treatments.

Do not run out of your Biktarvy tablets. Try to always keep at least 2 days of medicine on hand. Refill your prescription or talk to your prescriber or pharmacist before all of your medicine is gone.

It’s important not to share your ART with anyone, because it may be harmful to them and lower the number of doses you have, causing you to possibly miss one or more doses.

Biktarvy is not a cure for HIV or AIDS, and is not used for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) to help prevent HIV infection.

Biktarvy has some serious drug interactions. Do not use Biktarvy with:

• dofetilide (Tikosyn), a drug used for irregular heartbeats
• rifampin (Rifadin), a medicine used to treat tuberculosis (TB)

Always check with your doctor or pharmacist for potential Biktarvy drug interactions with your medications, including prescription medicines, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, vitamins and herbal or dietary supplements.

Review the patient information that comes with your prescription, or ask your pharmacist for a copy if you don't have one. Biktarvy was first approved in February 2018 and is manufactured by Gilead Sciences.

This is not all the information you need to know about Biktarvy (bictegravir, emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide) for safe and effective use and does not take the place of your doctor’s directions. Review the full product information and discuss this information and any questions you have with your doctor or other health care provider.