A community stronger than HIV.
Hear how SYMTUZA® patients move forward by finding love, support, and a treatment that's right for them.

Danny's Story
Danny, a patient on treatment, shares stories about dancing and receiving emotional support.
Nathan's Story
Nathan, a patient on treatment, shares details about his diagnosis and love for fashion.
Helen’s Story
Helen, a patient on treatment, shares her story of being a single mom living with HIV.
Brandon’s Story
Brandon, a patient on treatment, enjoys a cooked meal with his husband.
Brandon & His Grandma
When Brandon was diagnosed with HIV, he knew he could turn to his grandmother for support.
Amazing Grace
Jessica, Spencer, and Apollo, friends and allies to the HIV community, sing “Amazing Grace.”
SUPER: |
Danny is an actual SYMTUZA® patient. Danny has been compensated by Janssen. This is not medical advice. |
DANNY: |
As an artist,
When I’m on the stage,
My name is Danny,
I was born and raised
The drag queens and the transgender
and I grew up thinking the same
When I come to the United States,
and they did this competition
And I won, I won Miss Colombia That is how Dayanna was born.
When I was diagnosed with HIV, I was so scared.
But I received a lot of love.
It’s normal to struggle,
So that’s why it’s important
The diagnosis was an opportunity
Performing as Dayanna, She makes me feel powerful. Dayanna is freedom.
Danny, thank you
Pretty sure that
I has been undetectable |
SUPER: |
Undetectable is defined as <50 copies/mL. |
DANNY: |
Before, I was on some other treatments.
The biggest reason to change
SYMTUZA® is convenient for me |
SUPER: |
Take SYMTUZA® (darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide tablets 800mg/150mg/200mg/10mg) one time a day with food. Do not miss a dose of SYMTUZA®. |
DANNY: |
One time a day is perfect. |
AVO/SUPER: |
WHAT IS SYMTUZA®? SYMTUZA® (darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide tablets) is a prescription medicine that is used without other antiretroviral medicines to treat Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) infection in adults and in children who weigh at least 88 pounds (40 kg) who:
HIV-1 is the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). It is not known if SYMTUZA® is safe and effective in children weighing less than 88 pounds (40 kg). |
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SYMTUZA®?
SYMTUZA® can cause serious side effects including:
-
Worsening of hepatitis B virus infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for hepatitis B virus (HBV) before starting treatment with SYMTUZA®. If you have HBV infection and take SYMTUZA®, your HBV may get worse (flare-up) if you stop taking SYMTUZA®.
- Do not stop taking SYMTUZA® without first talking to your healthcare provider.
- Do not run out of SYMTUZA®. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your SYMTUZA® is all gone.
- If you stop taking SYMTUZA®, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly for several months to check your HBV infection or give you a medicine to treat your HBV infection. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or unusual symptoms you may have after you stop taking SYMTUZA®.
- Change in liver enzymes. People with a history of hepatitis B or C virus infection or who have certain liver enzyme changes may have an increased risk of developing new or worsening liver problems during treatment with SYMTUZA®. Liver problems can also happen during treatment with SYMTUZA® in people without a history of liver disease. Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your liver enzymes before and during treatment with SYMTUZA®.
-
Severe liver problems. In rare cases, severe liver problems can happen that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms:
- Skin or the white part of your eyes turn yellow
- Dark "tea-colored" urine
- Light-colored stools
- Loss of appetite for several days or longer
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach area pain
SYMTUZA® may cause severe or life-threatening skin reactions or rashes which may sometimes require treatment in a hospital. Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop a rash. Stop taking SYMTUZA® and call your healthcare provider right away if you develop any skin changes with symptoms below:
- Fever
- Tiredness
- Muscle or joint pain
- Blisters or skin lesions
- Mouth sores or ulcers
- Red or inflamed eyes, like "pink eye" (conjunctivitis)
Who should not take SYMTUZA®?
- Do not take SYMTUZA® with any of the following medicines: alfuzosin, carbamazepine, colchicine (if you have liver or kidney problems), dronedarone, elbasvir and grazoprevir, ergot-containing medicines (such as: dihydroergotamine, ergotamine tartrate, methylergonovine), ivabradine, lomitapide, lovastatin or a product that contains lovastatin, lurasidone, midazolam (when taken by mouth), naloxegol, phenobarbital, phenytoin, pimozide, ranolazine, rifampin, St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) or a product that contains St. John's wort, sildenafil when used for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), simvastatin or a product that contains simvastatin, or triazolam.
- Serious problems can happen if you take any of these medicines with SYMTUZA®. This is not a complete list of medicines. Therefore, tell your healthcare provider about all medicines you take.
Before taking SYMTUZA®, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- have liver problems (including hepatitis B or hepatitis C), have kidney problems, are allergic to sulfa (sulfonamide), have diabetes, have hemophilia, or have any other medical condition.
-
are pregnant (if you become pregnant while taking SYMTUZA®), or plan to become pregnant. It is unknown if SYMTUZA® will harm your unborn baby.
- SYMTUZA® should not be used during pregnancy.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take SYMTUZA®.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, topical creams, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Some medicines interact with SYMTUZA®. Keep a list of your medicines to show your healthcare provider and pharmacist. Do not start taking a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider.
HOW SHOULD I TAKE SYMTUZA®?
- Take SYMTUZA® 1 time a day with food.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF SYMTUZA®?
SYMTUZA® may cause serious side effects including:
- See "What is the most important information I should know about SYMTUZA®?"
- Immune system changes can happen in people who start HIV medications.
-
New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure.
- Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before you start and while you are taking SYMTUZA®.
-
Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis).
- Too much lactic acid is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.
- Diabetes and high blood sugar (hyperglycemia). Some people who take protease inhibitors including SYMTUZA® can get high blood sugar, develop diabetes, or your diabetes can get worse. Tell your healthcare provider if you notice an increase in thirst or if you start urinating more often while taking SYMTUZA®.
- Changes in body fat can happen in people taking HIV-1 medications.
- Increased bleeding can occur in people with hemophilia who are taking SYMTUZA®.
The most common side effects of SYMTUZA® are: diarrhea, rash, nausea, fatigue, headache, stomach problems, and gas.
These are not all of the possible side effects of SYMTUZA®.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit http://www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects to Janssen Products, LP at 1-800-JANSSEN (1-800-526-7736).
Please see full Product Information, including Boxed Warning at SYMTUZA.com.
SUPER: |
cp-62077v7 © Janssen Therapeutics, Division of Janssen Products, LP 2022. All rights reserved. 07/22 cp-267686v1. |
SUPER: |
Nathan is an actual SYMTUZA® patient. Nathan has been compensated by Janssen. This is not medical advice. |
NATHAN: |
Clothing is so important. It represents who I am.
I look for unique pieces,
And if they are,
My name is Nathan.
Fashion is a way for me to explore, be creative, be daring sometimes,
I have a love for fashion, That came from my mother.
I remember as a child,
After my HIV diagnosis,
They reaffirmed that they loved me, I do have a chosen family.
Chosen family is someone that's not related to you by blood,
It is people that have come into your life,
I have several what we call gay kids
And then it’s a host of good friends that
On this journey,
Twenty years ago, I did
I honestly thought I would live to be 30,
The medicine is doing what it's supposed to do,
I took an active role by really doing some research,
My experience with SYMTUZA® has been good. |
SUPER: |
Take SYMTUZA® (darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide tablets 800mg/150mg/200mg/10mg) one time a day with food. Do not miss a dose of SYMTUZA®. |
NATHAN: |
I love it. |
AVO/SUPER: |
WHAT IS SYMTUZA®? SYMTUZA® (darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide tablets) is a prescription medicine that is used without other antiretroviral medicines to treat Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) infection in adults and in children who weigh at least 88 pounds (40 kg) who:
HIV-1 is the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). It is not known if SYMTUZA® is safe and effective in children weighing less than 88 pounds (40 kg). |
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SYMTUZA®?
SYMTUZA® can cause serious side effects including:
-
Worsening of hepatitis B virus infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for hepatitis B virus (HBV) before starting treatment with SYMTUZA®. If you have HBV infection and take SYMTUZA®, your HBV may get worse (flare-up) if you stop taking SYMTUZA®.
- Do not stop taking SYMTUZA® without first talking to your healthcare provider.
- Do not run out of SYMTUZA®. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your SYMTUZA® is all gone.
- If you stop taking SYMTUZA®, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly for several months to check your HBV infection or give you a medicine to treat your HBV infection. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or unusual symptoms you may have after you stop taking SYMTUZA®.
- Change in liver enzymes. People with a history of hepatitis B or C virus infection or who have certain liver enzyme changes may have an increased risk of developing new or worsening liver problems during treatment with SYMTUZA®. Liver problems can also happen during treatment with SYMTUZA® in people without a history of liver disease. Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your liver enzymes before and during treatment with SYMTUZA®.
-
Severe liver problems. In rare cases, severe liver problems can happen that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms:
- Skin or the white part of your eyes turn yellow
- Dark "tea-colored" urine
- Light-colored stools
- Loss of appetite for several days or longer
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach area pain
SYMTUZA® may cause severe or life-threatening skin reactions or rashes which may sometimes require treatment in a hospital. Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop a rash. Stop taking SYMTUZA® and call your healthcare provider right away if you develop any skin changes with symptoms below:
- Fever
- Tiredness
- Muscle or joint pain
- Blisters or skin lesions
- Mouth sores or ulcers
- Red or inflamed eyes, like "pink eye" (conjunctivitis)
Who should not take SYMTUZA®?
- Do not take SYMTUZA® with any of the following medicines: alfuzosin, carbamazepine, colchicine (if you have liver or kidney problems), dronedarone, elbasvir and grazoprevir, ergot-containing medicines (such as: dihydroergotamine, ergotamine tartrate, methylergonovine), ivabradine, lomitapide, lovastatin or a product that contains lovastatin, lurasidone, midazolam (when taken by mouth), naloxegol, phenobarbital, phenytoin, pimozide, ranolazine, rifampin, St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) or a product that contains St. John's wort, sildenafil when used for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), simvastatin or a product that contains simvastatin, or triazolam.
- Serious problems can happen if you take any of these medicines with SYMTUZA®. This is not a complete list of medicines. Therefore, tell your healthcare provider about all medicines you take.
Before taking SYMTUZA®, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- have liver problems (including hepatitis B or hepatitis C), have kidney problems, are allergic to sulfa (sulfonamide), have diabetes, have hemophilia, or have any other medical condition.
-
are pregnant (if you become pregnant while taking SYMTUZA®), or plan to become pregnant. It is unknown if SYMTUZA® will harm your unborn baby.
- SYMTUZA® should not be used during pregnancy.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take SYMTUZA®.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, topical creams, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Some medicines interact with SYMTUZA®. Keep a list of your medicines to show your healthcare provider and pharmacist. Do not start taking a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider.
HOW SHOULD I TAKE SYMTUZA®?
- Take SYMTUZA® 1 time a day with food.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF SYMTUZA®?
SYMTUZA® may cause serious side effects including:
- See "What is the most important information I should know about SYMTUZA®?"
- Immune system changes can happen in people who start HIV medications.
-
New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure.
- Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before you start and while you are taking SYMTUZA®.
-
Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis).
- Too much lactic acid is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.
- Diabetes and high blood sugar (hyperglycemia). Some people who take protease inhibitors including SYMTUZA® can get high blood sugar, develop diabetes, or your diabetes can get worse. Tell your healthcare provider if you notice an increase in thirst or if you start urinating more often while taking SYMTUZA®.
- Changes in body fat can happen in people taking HIV-1 medications.
- Increased bleeding can occur in people with hemophilia who are taking SYMTUZA®.
The most common side effects of SYMTUZA® are: diarrhea, rash, nausea, fatigue, headache, stomach problems, and gas.
These are not all of the possible side effects of SYMTUZA®.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit http://www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects to Janssen Products, LP at 1-800-JANSSEN (1-800-526-7736).
Please see full Product Information, including Boxed Warning at SYMTUZA.com.
SUPER: |
cp-62077v7 © Janssen Therapeutics, Division of Janssen Products, LP 2022. All rights reserved. 07/22 cp-267689v1. |
SUPER: |
Helen is an actual SYMTUZA® patient. Helen has been compensated by Janssen. This is not medical advice. |
HELEN: |
I cried because of the trauma
I said, I'm not going to let another woman
My name is Helen.
When I got diagnosed,
The doctor, he said that um, if I choose
But then I had a child at the house,
If I die, what’s going to happen to her?
They wanted me to, um,
And at that time, I had just made up my mind that,
When I found out that my child
I went 9 months
And I made up my mind that from that time, That's how my advocacy started.
My current responsibility
especially Black women HIV is not a death sentence.
It is going to be OK.
My advocacy work has helped me
I make it happen for another person, I'm a busy person.
One pill a day is the biggest reason why I switched, |
SUPER: |
Take SYMTUZA® (darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide tablets 800mg/150mg/200mg/10mg) one time a day with food. Do not miss a dose of SYMTUZA®. |
HELEN: |
SYMTUZA® fits with my lifestyle perfect. |
AVO/SUPER: |
WHAT IS SYMTUZA®? SYMTUZA® (darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide tablets) is a prescription medicine that is used without other antiretroviral medicines to treat Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) infection in adults and in children who weigh at least 88 pounds (40 kg) who:
HIV-1 is the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). It is not known if SYMTUZA® is safe and effective in children weighing less than 88 pounds (40 kg). |
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SYMTUZA®?
SYMTUZA® can cause serious side effects including:
-
Worsening of hepatitis B virus infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for hepatitis B virus (HBV) before starting treatment with SYMTUZA®. If you have HBV infection and take SYMTUZA®, your HBV may get worse (flare-up) if you stop taking SYMTUZA®.
- Do not stop taking SYMTUZA® without first talking to your healthcare provider.
- Do not run out of SYMTUZA®. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your SYMTUZA® is all gone.
- If you stop taking SYMTUZA®, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly for several months to check your HBV infection or give you a medicine to treat your HBV infection. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or unusual symptoms you may have after you stop taking SYMTUZA®.
- Change in liver enzymes. People with a history of hepatitis B or C virus infection or who have certain liver enzyme changes may have an increased risk of developing new or worsening liver problems during treatment with SYMTUZA®. Liver problems can also happen during treatment with SYMTUZA® in people without a history of liver disease. Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your liver enzymes before and during treatment with SYMTUZA®.
-
Severe liver problems. In rare cases, severe liver problems can happen that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms:
- Skin or the white part of your eyes turn yellow
- Dark "tea-colored" urine
- Light-colored stools
- Loss of appetite for several days or longer
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach area pain
SYMTUZA® may cause severe or life-threatening skin reactions or rashes which may sometimes require treatment in a hospital. Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop a rash. Stop taking SYMTUZA® and call your healthcare provider right away if you develop any skin changes with symptoms below:
- Fever
- Tiredness
- Muscle or joint pain
- Blisters or skin lesions
- Mouth sores or ulcers
- Red or inflamed eyes, like "pink eye" (conjunctivitis)
Who should not take SYMTUZA®?
- Do not take SYMTUZA® with any of the following medicines: alfuzosin, carbamazepine, colchicine (if you have liver or kidney problems), dronedarone, elbasvir and grazoprevir, ergot-containing medicines (such as: dihydroergotamine, ergotamine tartrate, methylergonovine), ivabradine, lomitapide, lovastatin or a product that contains lovastatin, lurasidone, midazolam (when taken by mouth), naloxegol, phenobarbital, phenytoin, pimozide, ranolazine, rifampin, St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) or a product that contains St. John's wort, sildenafil when used for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), simvastatin or a product that contains simvastatin, or triazolam.
- Serious problems can happen if you take any of these medicines with SYMTUZA®. This is not a complete list of medicines. Therefore, tell your healthcare provider about all medicines you take.
Before taking SYMTUZA®, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- have liver problems (including hepatitis B or hepatitis C), have kidney problems, are allergic to sulfa (sulfonamide), have diabetes, have hemophilia, or have any other medical condition.
-
are pregnant (if you become pregnant while taking SYMTUZA®), or plan to become pregnant. It is unknown if SYMTUZA® will harm your unborn baby.
- SYMTUZA® should not be used during pregnancy.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take SYMTUZA®.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, topical creams, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Some medicines interact with SYMTUZA®. Keep a list of your medicines to show your healthcare provider and pharmacist. Do not start taking a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider.
HOW SHOULD I TAKE SYMTUZA®?
- Take SYMTUZA® 1 time a day with food.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF SYMTUZA®?
SYMTUZA® may cause serious side effects including:
- See "What is the most important information I should know about SYMTUZA®?"
- Immune system changes can happen in people who start HIV medications.
-
New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure.
- Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before you start and while you are taking SYMTUZA®.
-
Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis).
- Too much lactic acid is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.
- Diabetes and high blood sugar (hyperglycemia). Some people who take protease inhibitors including SYMTUZA® can get high blood sugar, develop diabetes, or your diabetes can get worse. Tell your healthcare provider if you notice an increase in thirst or if you start urinating more often while taking SYMTUZA®.
- Changes in body fat can happen in people taking HIV-1 medications.
- Increased bleeding can occur in people with hemophilia who are taking SYMTUZA®.
The most common side effects of SYMTUZA® are: diarrhea, rash, nausea, fatigue, headache, stomach problems, and gas.
These are not all of the possible side effects of SYMTUZA®.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit http://www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects to Janssen Products, LP at 1-800-JANSSEN (1-800-526-7736).
Please see full Product Information, including Boxed Warning at SYMTUZA.com.
SUPER: |
cp-62077v7 © Janssen Therapeutics, Division of Janssen Products, LP 2022. All rights reserved. 12/22 cp-267692v3. |
SUPER: |
Brandon is an actual SYMTUZA® patient. Brandon has been compensated by Janssen. This is not medical advice. |
BRANDON: |
So what we cookin’? That’s for dinner.
And then we’re gonna sit it in the oven Right, love? Okay. My name is Brandon. I’m 31 years old. Cooking is my thing.
When I’m cooking soul food for
it always brings back memories of me growing up,
Everybody would bring in different
We’ll just get around the table
When you have something from the South
When I found out that I was
The first person I called was my mother
Cooking makes me not think
For me, it eases my mind.
Cooking with my husband every night,
We put our heart, we put our all into,
It’s causing me to just We want to start a Caribbean soul food restaurant.
Life doesn’t stop.
I choose to continue to take my medication, Just one pill a day, no shots. That’s it. |
SUPER: |
Take SYMTUZA® (darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide tablets 800mg/150mg/200mg/10mg) one time a day with food. Do not miss a dose of SYMTUZA®. |
BRANDON: |
I have heard that gaining weight could be a side effect with certain medication. |
SUPER: |
Individual results may vary.
He recommended me From that day I haven’t deviated from SYMTUZA®. |
AVO/SUPER: |
WHAT IS SYMTUZA®? SYMTUZA® (darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide tablets) is a prescription medicine that is used without other antiretroviral medicines to treat Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) infection in adults and in children who weigh at least 88 pounds (40 kg) who:
HIV-1 is the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). It is not known if SYMTUZA® is safe and effective in children weighing less than 88 pounds (40 kg). |
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SYMTUZA®?
SYMTUZA® can cause serious side effects including:
-
Worsening of hepatitis B virus infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for hepatitis B virus (HBV) before starting treatment with SYMTUZA®. If you have HBV infection and take SYMTUZA®, your HBV may get worse (flare-up) if you stop taking SYMTUZA®.
- Do not stop taking SYMTUZA® without first talking to your healthcare provider.
- Do not run out of SYMTUZA®. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your SYMTUZA® is all gone.
- If you stop taking SYMTUZA®, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly for several months to check your HBV infection or give you a medicine to treat your HBV infection. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or unusual symptoms you may have after you stop taking SYMTUZA®.
- Change in liver enzymes. People with a history of hepatitis B or C virus infection or who have certain liver enzyme changes may have an increased risk of developing new or worsening liver problems during treatment with SYMTUZA®. Liver problems can also happen during treatment with SYMTUZA® in people without a history of liver disease. Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your liver enzymes before and during treatment with SYMTUZA®.
-
Severe liver problems. In rare cases, severe liver problems can happen that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms:
- Skin or the white part of your eyes turn yellow
- Dark "tea-colored" urine
- Light-colored stools
- Loss of appetite for several days or longer
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach area pain
SYMTUZA® may cause severe or life-threatening skin reactions or rashes which may sometimes require treatment in a hospital. Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop a rash. Stop taking SYMTUZA® and call your healthcare provider right away if you develop any skin changes with symptoms below:
- Fever
- Tiredness
- Muscle or joint pain
- Blisters or skin lesions
- Mouth sores or ulcers
- Red or inflamed eyes, like "pink eye" (conjunctivitis)
Who should not take SYMTUZA®?
- Do not take SYMTUZA® with any of the following medicines: alfuzosin, carbamazepine, colchicine (if you have liver or kidney problems), dronedarone, elbasvir and grazoprevir, ergot-containing medicines (such as: dihydroergotamine, ergotamine tartrate, methylergonovine), ivabradine, lomitapide, lovastatin or a product that contains lovastatin, lurasidone, midazolam (when taken by mouth), naloxegol, phenobarbital, phenytoin, pimozide, ranolazine, rifampin, St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) or a product that contains St. John's wort, sildenafil when used for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), simvastatin or a product that contains simvastatin, or triazolam.
- Serious problems can happen if you take any of these medicines with SYMTUZA®. This is not a complete list of medicines. Therefore, tell your healthcare provider about all medicines you take.
Before taking SYMTUZA®, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- have liver problems (including hepatitis B or hepatitis C), have kidney problems, are allergic to sulfa (sulfonamide), have diabetes, have hemophilia, or have any other medical condition.
-
are pregnant (if you become pregnant while taking SYMTUZA®), or plan to become pregnant. It is unknown if SYMTUZA® will harm your unborn baby.
- SYMTUZA® should not be used during pregnancy.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take SYMTUZA®.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, topical creams, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Some medicines interact with SYMTUZA®. Keep a list of your medicines to show your healthcare provider and pharmacist. Do not start taking a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider.
HOW SHOULD I TAKE SYMTUZA®?
- Take SYMTUZA® 1 time a day with food.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF SYMTUZA®?
SYMTUZA® may cause serious side effects including:
- See "What is the most important information I should know about SYMTUZA®?"
- Immune system changes can happen in people who start HIV medications.
-
New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure.
- Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before you start and while you are taking SYMTUZA®.
-
Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis).
- Too much lactic acid is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.
- Diabetes and high blood sugar (hyperglycemia). Some people who take protease inhibitors including SYMTUZA® can get high blood sugar, develop diabetes, or your diabetes can get worse. Tell your healthcare provider if you notice an increase in thirst or if you start urinating more often while taking SYMTUZA®.
- Changes in body fat can happen in people taking HIV-1 medications.
- Increased bleeding can occur in people with hemophilia who are taking SYMTUZA®.
The most common side effects of SYMTUZA® are: diarrhea, rash, nausea, fatigue, headache, stomach problems, and gas.
These are not all of the possible side effects of SYMTUZA®.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit http://www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects to Janssen Products, LP at 1-800-JANSSEN (1-800-526-7736).
Please see full Product Information, including Boxed Warning at SYMTUZA.com.
SUPER: |
cp-62077v7 © Janssen Therapeutics, Division of Janssen Products, LP 2022. All rights reserved. 07/22 cp-267688v1. |
Real SYMTUZA® stories

Danny’s Story

Helen's Story

Nathan’s Story

Brandon’s Story
Find community support

Brandon & His Grandma
Have a story to tell?
Danny, Helen, Nathan, and Brandon are all a part of the SHARE Network, a volunteer program that helps real SYMTUZA® patients inspire members of the HIV community to find a treatment that’s right for them. By just sharing your story, you can change somebody’s life.
All SHARE Network activities are voluntary, and you can always decide if you want to participate based on your own interest and availability.
Learn more about sharing your SYMTUZA® story:
- Call: (855) 369-1305
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: sharemyjanssenstory.com
What comes next?
- Call or email the SHARE Network or submit your information on our website.
- A member of the SHARE Network staff will get in touch with you by phone or email to help you get registered.
- We’ll schedule a time for a brief phone conversation to learn more about you and your health journey.
