cidofovir vs emtricitabine/tenofovir
PlainMeds reviewed this comparison against our methodology in August 2026. It places FDA and CMS record fields side by side, without recommending either medication.
Side-by-side comparison of cidofovir and emtricitabine/tenofovir. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
Some examples include, but are not limited to, acyclovir, adefovir dipivoxil, cidofovir, ganciclovir, valacyclovir, valganciclovir, aminoglycosides (e.g., gentamicin), and high-dose or multiple NSAIDs [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] .
Vistide
Truvada, Descovy
Cidofovir injection is an antiviral medicine. It is used to treat CMV retinitis, an eye infection, in people with AIDS.
Truvada is a medicine that contains two drugs, emtricitabine and tenofovir. It is used to treat HIV-1 infection and to prevent getting HIV-1.
Cidofovir treats CMV retinitis in people who have AIDS. CMV retinitis is an infection in the eye that can cause vision problems. This medicine has not been proven to work for other CMV infections or in people without HIV.
Truvada is used to treat HIV-1 infection in adults and children who weigh at least 37 pounds. It must be used with other HIV medicines. Truvada can also be used to help prevent getting HIV-1 in adults who are at high risk. When used for prevention, it is called PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and should be used with safer sex practices.
Cidofovir stops the CMV virus from making copies of itself. It does this by blocking a key enzyme the virus needs to reproduce its DNA. This helps to reduce the amount of virus in your body.
Truvada contains two medicines that block HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. This enzyme is needed for HIV to multiply. By blocking this enzyme, Truvada helps to lower the amount of HIV in your body and prevent HIV infection.
- • Kidney problems
- • Lowered white blood cell count
- • Decreased eye pressure
- • Inflammation inside the eye
- • Diarrhea
- • Nausea
- • Tiredness
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
No adverse event reports.
- Drug Interaction 655
- Foetal Exposure During Pregnancy 621
- Anxiety 432
- Drug Resistance 431
- Virologic Failure 402
Cidofovir can cause serious kidney damage, possibly leading to death. To reduce this risk, you must receive IV fluids and take probenecid pills with each dose. Your kidney function and white blood cell counts will be checked regularly. This drug can also cause birth defects and cancer, based on animal studies. It is only for treating CMV retinitis in AIDS patients.
Truvada can cause serious side effects, including lactic acidosis and severe liver problems. Tell your doctor right away if you have any symptoms of these problems. If you have hepatitis B and stop taking Truvada, your hepatitis B may get worse. Your doctor will need to monitor you closely for several months if you stop taking Truvada. If you are using Truvada to prevent HIV, you must be tested to be sure you do not have HIV. If you take Truvada when you have HIV, the HIV virus can become resistant to the medicine.
Cidofovir may cause harm to an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if cidofovir passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Truvada should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed. If you are infected with HIV, you should not breastfeed because you could pass HIV to your baby.
How to Read This cidofovir vs emtricitabine/tenofovir Comparison
cidofovir is classified in the Antiviral (Nucleotide Analog) drug class, while emtricitabine/tenofovir sits within the NRTI Combination (HIV PrEP) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, cidofovir has 0 submissions while emtricitabine/tenofovir has 2,541. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to taking these drugs together can increase the amount of medicine in your blood because they both leave the body through the kidneys. this can put extra stress on your kidneys and increase the risk of side effects.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for cidofovir or emtricitabine/tenofovir.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.