Epzicom and Depression

There are many possible side effects that may occur with the use of Epzicom. Depression is a side effect that has been reported in 7 percent of people taking the drug in clinical trials. However, researchers are not certain whether it is actually a side effect of Epzicom or caused by other factors. If you are taking Epzicom and depression symptoms occur, contact your healthcare provider immediately.

 

Is Depression an Epzicom Side Effect?

Epzicom™ (abacavir/lamivudine) is a prescription HIV/AIDS medication. Like all medications, it can cause side effects. Depression appears to be a possible Epzicom side effect, as it is a complaint that is reported commonly in people taking Epzicom. This data comes from clinical trials that studied Epzicom extensively for the treatment of HIV or AIDS.
 

Understanding Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are designed to factor out many possible variables in order to understand whether the medicine works and to determine its possible side effects. During a study, some people are given the actual medication, while others are given a placebo (which looks like the actual medication but does not contain any of the active ingredients). However, sometimes it is unethical to give people a placebo, such as for life-threatening conditions (like HIV or AIDS). Therefore, the studies of Epzicom did not compare the medication to a placebo.
 
In clinical studies, depression was reported in 7 percent of people taking Epzicom (plus another HIV medication). However, it is difficult to say with certainty that Epzicom causes depression, since these studies did not compare the medication to a placebo (and since Epzicom was combined with another HIV medication). Without knowing how commonly depression occurs in a similar group of people not taking Epzicom, it is not possible to evaluate if Epzicom actually increases the risk of depression.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;