A note on breastfeeding

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that HIV-1-infected mothers not breast-feed their infants to prevent postnatal transmission of HIV-1. Mothers should be advised not to breast-feed if they are receiving tenofovir disoproxil ^{FDA label}.

Carcinogenesis

Long-term oral carcinogenicity studies of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in mice and rats were performed at exposures up to approximately 16 times (mice) and 5 times (rats) those observed in humans at the therapeutic dose for HIV-1 infection. At the higher dose in female mice, liver adenomas were increased at exposures 16 times that in humans. In rats, the study was negative for carcinogenic findings at exposures up to 5 times that observed in humans at the therapeutic dose ^{FDA label}.

Pregnancy

This drug is considered a pregnancy Category B drug. Reproduction studies have been performed in rats and rabbits at doses up to 14 and 19 times the recommended human dose based on body surface area comparisons and revealed no evidence of impaired fertility or harm to the fetus due to tenofovir. There are, however, no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women.

Because animal reproduction studies are not consistently reflective of human effects, tenofovir disoproxil should be used during pregnancy only if clearly required. To monitor fetal outcomes of pregnant women taking tenofovir disoproxil, an Antiretroviral Pregnancy Registry has been formed. Healthcare providers are encouraged and advised to register patients by calling the number listed on the FDA label for tenofovir disoproxil ^{FDA label}.

Mutagenesis

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate was mutagenic in the in vitro mouse lymphoma assay and negative for mutagenesis in an in vitro bacterial mutagenicity test (Ames test). In an in vivo mouse micronucleus assay, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate was negative when administered to male mice.

Impairment of Fertility

There were no observed effects on fertility, mating performance or early embryonic development when tenofovir disoproxil fumarate was given to male rats at a dose comparable to 10 times the human dose based on body surface area comparisons for 28 days before mating and to female rats for 15 days before mating through day seven of gestation. There was, however, changes in the estrous cycle in female rats ^{FDA label}.