Medically reviewed by Bandela Mgoqi (B.Pharm, M.Pharm, MPS). Last updated on September 17, 2026.
VEMLIDY contains the active substance tenofovir alafenamide. This is an antiviral medicine, known as a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NtRTI).
VEMLIDY is used to treat chronic (long-term) hepatitis B infection of the liver, caused by the hepatitis B virus in adults and children 6 years of age and older, who weigh at least 25 kg. In patients with hepatitis B, VEMLIDY controls the infection by stopping the virus from multiplying.
Do not take VEMLIDY
If this applies to you, do not take VEMLIDY and tell your doctor immediately.
• Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis) 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.
• Take care not to pass on your hepatitis B to other people. You can still infect others when taking this medicine. VEMLIDY does not reduce the risk of passing on hepatitis B to others through sexual contact or blood contamination. You must continue to take precautions to avoid this. Discuss with your doctor the precautions needed to avoid infecting others.
• Tell your doctor if you have a history of liver disease. Patients with liver disease, who are treated for hepatitis B with antiviral medicines, have a higher risk of severe and potentially fatal liver complications. Your doctor may need to carry out blood tests to monitor your liver function.
• Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have had kidney disease or if tests have shown problems with your kidneys, before or during treatment. Before starting treatment and during treatment with VEMLIDY, your doctor may order blood or urine tests to monitor how your kidneys work.
• Talk to your doctor if you also have hepatitis C or D. VEMLIDY has not been tested on patients who have hepatitis C or D as well as hepatitis B.
• Talk to your doctor if you also have HIV. If you are not sure whether you have HIV, your doctor should offer you HIV testing before you start taking VEMLIDY for hepatitis B.
If any of these apply to you, talk to your doctor before taking VEMLIDY.
Do not give VEMLIDY to children who are under 6 years old, or weighing less than 25 kg. It has not been tested in children aged less than 6 years old or weighing less than 25 kg.
Bone problems. Loss of bone mass has been reported in some children who received VEMLIDY. The effects on long-term bone health and future fracture risk in children are uncertain. Your doctor will monitor this possible risk. Tell your doctor if any bone pain or fractures occur.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicine. VEMLIDY may interact with other medicines. As a result, the amounts of VEMLIDY or other medicines in your blood may change. This may stop your medicines from working properly or may make any side effects worse.
Medicines used in treating hepatitis B infection
Other types of medicines
Talk to your doctor if you are taking:
Tell your doctor if you are taking these or any other medicines.
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.
VEMLIDY has minor influence on the ability to drive and use machines. If you experience dizziness, you should not drive and use machines. VEMLIDY can cause fatigue, headache, nausea and dizziness.
VEMLIDY contains lactose If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicine.
VEMLIDY contains sodium This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per tablet, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.
Do not share medicines prescribed for you with any other person Always take VEMLIDY exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
The recommended dose is one tablet once a day with food. It is best to take VEMLIDY with food to get the right levels of active substance in your body. Treatment should continue for as long as your doctor tells you. Usually this is for at least 6 to 12 months and may be for many years.
If you take more VEMLIDY than you should
If you accidentally take more than the recommended dose of VEMLIDY you may be at increased risk of experiencing possible side effects (see section 4, Possible side effects). Contact your doctor or nearest emergency department immediately for advice. Keep the tablet bottle with you so that you can easily describe what you have taken.
If you forget to take VEMLIDY
It is important not to miss a dose. If you do miss a dose, work out how long since you should have taken it.
Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten tablet.
If you are sick (vomit) less than 1 hour after taking VEMLIDY, take another tablet. You do not need to take another tablet if you are sick (vomit) more than 1 hour after taking VEMLIDY.
If you stop taking VEMLIDY
Do not stop taking VEMLIDY without your doctor’s advice. Stopping treatment with VEMLIDY may cause your hepatitis B to get worse. In some patients with advanced liver disease or cirrhosis, this could be life threatening. If you stop taking VEMLIDY, you will need regular health checks and blood tests for several months to check your hepatitis B infection.
• Talk to your doctor before you stop taking VEMLIDY for any reason, particularly if you are experiencing any side effects or you have another illness.
• Tell your doctor immediately about new or unusual symptoms after you stop treatment, particularly symptoms you associate with hepatitis B infection.
• Talk to your doctor before you restart taking VEMLIDY tablets.
If you have any further questions on the use of VEMLIDY, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
VEMLIDY can have side effects. Not all side effects reported for VEMLIDY are included in this leaflet. Should your general health worsen or if you experience any untoward effects while taking VEMLIDY, please consult your healthcare provider for advice.
Tests may also show:
If any of these side effects get serious tell your doctor.
During HBV therapy there may be an increase in weight, fasting levels of blood lipids and/or glucose. Your doctor will test for these changes.
If you get side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. You can also report side effects to SAHPRA via the 6.04 Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Form, found online under SAHPRA’s publications: https://www.sahpra.org.za/Publications/Index/8. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of VEMLIDY.
Store all medicines out of reach of children.
Do not use after the expiry date stated on the label / carton / bottle. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Store in the original package in order to protect from moisture. Keep the bottle tightly closed.
Store at or below 30 °C.
Return all unused medicine to your pharmacist.
Do not dispose of unused medicine in drains or sewerage systems (e.g. toilets).
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