Background: In Russia, before 2022, the list of vital and essential drugs for HIV-infected patients previously untreated with antiretroviral drugs included the fixed-dose combination rilpivirine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine (RPV/TDF/FTC) but not doravirine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/lamivudine (DOR/TDF/3TC).
Methods: An indirect comparison of the efficacy of DOR/TDF/3TC and RPV/TDF/FTC defined by virologic suppression (HIV-1 RNA of <50 copies/mL at week 48) was made. The per-patient drug costs over 1 year were compared in a cost-minimization analysis.