A group of people who have been using Gilead's anti-HIV drugs have filed a mass action lawsuit against the pharmaceutical company.
The plaintiffs allege that the medications they were prescribed were toxic and resulted in bone and kidney damage.
The lawsuit accuses Gilead of knowingly selling harmful anti-HIV medications, including the drugs branded as Viread, Truvada, Atripla, Complera, and Stribild.
These drugs allegedly contain high doses of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), a compound known to be toxic to patients' kidneys and bones.
The plaintiffs claim that Gilead was allegedly aware of these side effects but continued to market the drugs as safe.
The lawsuit was filed Dec. 20 in San Francisco County Superior Court by attorney Matthew J. Kita, of The Benton Law Firm PLLC, of Dallas.
Plaintiffs identified in the complaint include Kenneth Calhoun, of Tennessee; Hunter Torbett, of Georgia; Steven Stricksberger, of Riverside; Artis Crandell, of Maryland; James Hughes, of New York; Herman Roberts, of Florida; Eva Holden, of Florida; Thomas Henderson, of San Francisco; Krzysztof Krakowiak, of Illinois; Michael Lassiter, of Illinois; Gregory Swann, of Maryland; Christine Everett, of Florida; Michael Scarlett, of Colorado; Scott Palmer, of Utah; Evan Atwood, of North Carolina; Daniel Vukelich, of Florida; Patricia Harris, of New York; Greg Laubach, of California; and Donna Telford, of Arkansas.