Why are my new ARVs a different colour?

The long answer

Whenever you are unsure about your medication – any medication – contact your clinic, doctor or pharmacy straight away. Your doctor should always tell you if your medication is being changed. There are a few possible reasons why your pills may look different than before:

The new medication was made by a different company. In South Africa, there are multiple different versions of the same medications. Even though the pill might be a different size, shape, or colour, it will still contain the same ingredients.

You may have been prescribed a different combination. For example, many countries are changing to dolutegravir-based ARVs  from efavirenz-based ARVs.

This link includes many of the different generic makes of HIV meds that are commonly used, including in South Africa: https://i-base.info/guides/12423.

Note: This answer was adapted from a question on i-Base. Here is a link to the original answer: https://i-base.info/qa/19650.

Wishing you the best,
GroundUp