cidofovir vs tenofovir disoproxil
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 tenofovir disoproxil. 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, cidofovir, ganciclovir, valacyclovir, valganciclovir, aminoglycosides (e.g., gentamicin), and high-dose or multiple NSAIDs [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2)].
Vistide
Viread
Cidofovir injection is an antiviral medicine. It is used to treat CMV retinitis, an eye infection, in people with AIDS.
Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate is a medicine used to treat HIV and hepatitis B. It helps to lower the amount of virus in your body.
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.
This medicine treats HIV-1 in adults and children at least 2 years old. It is always used with other HIV medicines. It also treats chronic hepatitis B in adults and children at least 12 years old.
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.
Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate blocks an enzyme that HIV and hepatitis B need to multiply. This lowers the amount of virus in your body. It can help your immune system get stronger.
- • Kidney problems
- • Lowered white blood cell count
- • Decreased eye pressure
- • Inflammation inside the eye
- • Rash
- • Diarrhea
- • Headache
- • Pain
- • Depression
No adverse event reports.
- Bone Density Decreased 10,625
- Renal Injury 9,276
- Skeletal Injury 8,327
- Chronic Kidney Disease 7,247
- Osteonecrosis 7,245
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.
After stopping this medicine, hepatitis B may get worse. Your doctor will monitor your liver closely for several months after you stop taking it. If needed, you may have to restart hepatitis B treatment.
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. HIV-infected mothers should not breastfeed because of the risk of passing HIV to the baby.
How to Read This cidofovir vs tenofovir disoproxil Comparison
cidofovir is classified in the Antiviral (Nucleotide Analog) drug class, while tenofovir disoproxil sits within the Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor 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 tenofovir disoproxil has 42,720. 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 these medicines are both processed by the kidneys, and taking them at the same time can lead to higher drug levels.. 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 tenofovir disoproxil.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.