User:Mr. Ibrahem/Valaciclovir

Valaciclovir, also spelled valacyclovir, is an antiviral medication used to treat outbreaks of herpes simplex or herpes zoster (shingles). It is also used to prevent cytomegalovirus following a kidney transplant in high risk cases. It is taken by mouth.

Common side effects include headache and vomiting. Severe side effects may include kidney problems. Use in pregnancy appears to be safe. It is a prodrug, which works after being converted to aciclovir in a person's body.

Valaciclovir was patented in 1987 and came into medical use in 1995. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines as an alternative to aciclovir. It is available as a generic medication. A month supply in the United Kingdom costs the NHS about £3 as of 2019. In the United States the wholesale cost of this amount is about US$2.80. In 2020, it was the 119th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 5million prescriptions.