Is Delavirdine addictive?
Last updated September 7, 2026.
No, delavirdine is not addictive and does not cause a high, cravings, or withdrawal when you stop it. Delavirdine (brand name Rescriptor) is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor that blocks an enzyme HIV needs to copy itself, and it works only as part of a combination regimen. It has no effect on the brain reward pathways involved in substance use disorders, so needing it every day is dependence on treatment, not addiction. The issue that does matter is consistency: skipped doses let the virus rebound and can create resistance that also weakens related HIV drugs. Delavirdine is no longer marketed in the United States, and most people now take newer once-daily regimens with fewer pills and fewer interactions. If you are on it, keep a current list of everything you take, since it interacts with many common medicines.
What to do
- Separate dependence from addiction: Needing a daily HIV medicine to stay well is treatment dependence, not a substance use problem.
- Protect adherence: Take every dose at the same times each day, and use a phone alarm or a weekly pill box if doses slip.
- Check interactions: Antacids, some heartburn drugs, seizure medicines, rifampin, and St. John's wort can lower delavirdine levels, so ask before adding anything.
- Never stop on your own: Stopping or pausing HIV medicine can let the virus rebound and cause resistance, so talk with your prescriber first.
- Ask about newer regimens: Delavirdine is no longer marketed in the United States, so ask whether a current once-daily combination fits you better.
- Get help for substance use: If you drink or use drugs in ways that make doses hard to take, tell your clinician, since that changes both your regimen and your support plan.
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