Prescription medication · Antiviral (Nucleotide Analog)
cidofovir
Also sold as Vistide. Cidofovir treats CMV retinitis in people who have AIDS.
Data updated 2026-05-15
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cidofovir (Vistide) is a prescription Antiviral (Nucleotide Analog). Cidofovir treats CMV retinitis in people who have AIDS.
Cidofovir injection is an antiviral medicine. It is used to treat CMV retinitis, an eye infection, in people with AIDS.
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What it does
Cidofovir treats CMV retinitis in people who have AIDS.
Common side effects
Kidney problems, Lowered white blood cell count, Decreased eye pressure
Key warnings
Cidofovir can cause serious kidney damage, possibly leading to death.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from cidofovir's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
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.
Serious Warnings
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.
Known Drug Interactions
Nephrotoxic agents Concomitant administration of cidofovir injection and agents with nephrotoxic potential [e.g., intravenous aminoglycosides (e.g., tobramycin, gentamicin, and amikacin), amphotericin B, foscarnet, intravenous pentamidine, vancomycin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents] is contraindicated.
Mechanism: Both drugs can harm the kidneys. Taking them at the same time increases the risk of serious kidney damage.
Nephrotoxic agents Concomitant administration of cidofovir injection and agents with nephrotoxic potential [e.g., intravenous aminoglycosides (e.g., tobramycin, gentamicin, and amikacin), amphotericin B, foscarnet, intravenous pentamidine, vancomycin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents] is contraindicated.
Mechanism: These medications are both known to be toxic to the kidneys. Using them together can cause severe kidney problems.
Nephrotoxic agents Concomitant administration of cidofovir injection and agents with nephrotoxic potential [e.g., intravenous aminoglycosides (e.g., tobramycin, gentamicin, and amikacin), amphotericin B, foscarnet, intravenous pentamidine, vancomycin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents] is contraindicated.
Mechanism: Both drugs have the potential to damage your kidneys. Taking them together adds to this risk and can lead to kidney failure.
Nephrotoxic agents Concomitant administration of cidofovir injection and agents with nephrotoxic potential [e.g., intravenous aminoglycosides (e.g., tobramycin, gentamicin, and amikacin), amphotericin B, foscarnet, intravenous pentamidine, vancomycin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents] is contraindicated.
Mechanism: Both of these drugs can be harmful to the kidneys. Using them together significantly increases the chance of kidney injury.
Nephrotoxic agents Concomitant administration of cidofovir injection and agents with nephrotoxic potential [e.g., intravenous aminoglycosides (e.g., tobramycin, gentamicin, and amikacin), amphotericin B, foscarnet, intravenous pentamidine, vancomycin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents] is contraindicated.
Mechanism: Both drugs can cause damage to the kidneys. Combining them makes kidney injury much more likely.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
Can cidofovir cure my CMV retinitis?
What if I am allergic to sulfa drugs?
Can I take other medicines with cidofovir?
Will I lose my vision while taking cidofovir?
How often will I need to see the doctor?
What is the role of probenecid?
What if I get nauseous from the probenecid?
Can cidofovir affect my fertility?
What are the symptoms of kidney problems I should watch for?
Is it safe to drive or operate machinery while taking cidofovir?
What are the common side effects of cidofovir?
Does cidofovir interact with other medications?
What drug class is cidofovir?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for cidofovir?
Related Medications in Antiviral (Nucleotide Analog)
Other drugs grouped near cidofovir - same-class peers and common alternatives.
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albendazole
Albenza
Albendazole is a medicine that fights parasites.
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amphotericin B
Ambisome, Fungizone
Amphotericin B liposome is an antifungal medicine.
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anidulafungin
Eraxis
Eraxis is an antifungal medicine.
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atovaquone/proguanil
Malarone
Malarone is a drug used to prevent and treat malaria.
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Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
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Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
FDA bioequivalence and label-record context for narrow therapeutic index medicines
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for cidofovir
The FDA label for cidofovir (sold under brand names such as Vistide) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Antiviral (Nucleotide Analog) class. Cidofovir treats CMV retinitis in people who have AIDS. Official labeling lists 4 commonly reported side effects, including Kidney problems, Lowered white blood cell count, Decreased eye pressure.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. Voluntary reports accumulate over the lifetime of a drug and reflect wide-ranging clinical use. The database also lists 16 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated major severity. Acquisition-cost data is surveyed weekly by CMS and updated as manufacturers report changes.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.
Last updated: October 25, 2023
PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages