Taking it

FTC (emtricitabine, Emtriva) is taken at a dose of one 200mg capsule once daily. It can be taken with or without food.

A liquid formulation of FTC at a concentration of 10mg/ml is also available for children and patients who cannot swallow hard capsules or who have kidney problems. Due to differences in bioavailability of the oral solution, a dose of 240mg (24ml) gives similar plasma levels of the drug to a 200mg capsule.

The dose of FTC should be reduced in patients with kidney disease, since clearance of the drug is slowed. This can be achieved by increasing the interval between capsules or by using the oral solution of FTC.

This content was checked for accuracy at the time it was written. It may have been superseded by more recent developments. NAM recommends checking whether this is the most current information when making decisions that may affect your health.