Is there a once-a-day pill for HIV?

Yes. Atripla is a new, 1-pill combination of 3 previously available medications:

• 600 mg of efavirenz (Sustiva)
• 300 mg of tenofovir (Viread)
• 200 mg of emtricitabine (Emtriva)

Until Atripla came along, the same 3 drugs were available as 2 separate pills, taken once daily. One pill consisted of 600 mg of efavirenz; the other pill (called Truvada) combined 300 mg of tenofovir and 200 mg of emtricitabine.

Because Atripla combines all 3 drugs, at their usual daily doses, into a single pill, it has become the first 1-pill, once-daily regimen for HIV infection.

People who might benefit from Atripla include:

• those starting antiretroviral therapy for the first time
• those who would like to simplify their regimen from efavirenz/tenofovir/emtricitabine or efavirenz/Truvada
• those who would like to switch from a more complicated regimen and have not developed resistance to any of the drugs that it contains