The HIV Med Evotaz - Research Paper Sample

On April 14, 2014, the Bristol-Myers Squibb Company submitted a new drug application to the United States Food and Drug Administration for Evotaz. The company was seeking approval of the fixed-dose combination tablet that was to be used with other antiretroviral medicines for the treatment of HIV-1. Since the tablet contains Reyataz and cobicistat, it would eliminate the need for patients to use additional tablets containing a boosting agent. Later, on January 29, 2015, the company announced that the U.S Food and Drug Administration had approved Evotaz to be used in combination with other HIV drugs for the treatment HIV-1.

Evotaz is among other HIV medications in the category of HIV medicines referred to as protease inhibitors. Evotaz medication is a combination of Reyataz and Tybost drugs. Physicians also suggest that these two drugs: Tybost and Reyataz can be bought separately for use in combination with other available HIV medicines. It is a requirement that Evotaz must be combined with other HIV drugs. The drug decreases the HIV amount in the patients body to improve the effectiveness of their immune system (Crutchley, Guduru & Cheng, 2016). As a result, the probability of HIV patients acquiring HIV related complications such as new infections and cancer is lowered. The patient can, therefore, live a more quality life.

Before this medication is administered, people living with HIV are advised to notify the physician if they have liver or kidney diseases and hepatitis B. It is also important for patients to let the doctor know whether they are pregnant, breastfeeding, planning to conceive. Although Evotaz is not expected to harm the fetus, Atazanavir is likely to cause lactic acidosis to the mother if taken together with other medicines (Crutchley, Guduru & Cheng, 2016). It is important that the doctor understands all medical conditions of the patients including supplements, prescriptions and over-the-counter medications that they are using.

This medication is for adults, and the recommended dose is one tablet taken orally on a daily basis with food. If the Evotaz dose is missed within 12 hours of the usual time taken, patients are advised to take the Evotaz dose with food as per the prescriptions immediately. However, if the dose is missed more than 12 hours that it is usually taken, then that dose should be assumed, and the patient should resume the normal schedule as prescribed. There are no dose adjustments or special precautions required when administering Evotaz to patients with renal impairment. However, for patients undergoing hemodialysis, administration of Evotaz is not recommended (Badowski, Perez, Biagi & Littler, 2016). Caution is advised when administering Evotaz to patients with mild hepatic impairment and should be avoided in patients suffering from moderate and severe hepatic impairment. Due to the potential risk of kernicterus that is associated with the Atazanavir, doctors must not use Evotaz in children less than three months. The safety and efficacy of using Evotaz in children who are less than 18 years are yet to be established.

Currently, Evotaz is only available as a brand name medicine, and therefore its generic version is yet to be available. The Evotaz price is based on the use of the Drugs.com discount card. The cost of supply of 30 tablets is about $1,685 depending on the visited pharmacy. Evotaz is only available for cash paying patients since it is yet to be included in insurance plans. Evotaz offers are available in different forms such as rebate, savings card, trial offer, printable coupon and free samples. Some of these offers require registration, and others can be printed from a website, while others need completing a questionnaire or obtaining the samples from doctors office (Badowski et al., 2016). Pharmaceutical companies sponsor patient assistance programs which provide uninsured, under-insured and low-income patients with free or discounted medicines as long as they meet the eligibility requirements.

References

Badowski, M. E., Perez, S. E., Biagi, M., & Littler, J. A. (2016). New antiretroviral treatment for HIV. Infectious diseases and therapy, 5(3), 329-352.

Crutchley, R. D., Guduru, R. C., & Cheng, A. M. (2016). Evaluating the role of atazanavir/cobicistat and darunavir/cobicistat fixed-dose combinations for the treatment of HIV-1 infection. HIV/AIDS (Auckland, NZ), 8, 47.