Newswise — Washington, DC (January 20, 2023) —The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) is encouraged by the recent U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) announcement to solicit comment on USPSTF’s draft research plan on screening for kidney diseases. This development follows more than a decade of advocacy in support of more kidney health screening by ASN and other stakeholders dedicated to intervening earlier to slow or stop the progression of kidney diseases.
More than 37 million Americans suffer from kidney diseases that impact virtually every aspect of their lives as well as their families and communities. Kidney diseases are the ninth leading cause of death in the United States, yet 90% of Americans with kidney diseases are unaware that they are affected. Prevention and early detection are key to preventing kidney failure and achieving kidney health.
People with a family history of kidney diseases and people with diabetes, obesity, or other health issues, are at a higher risk of kidney diseases. Older adults, people with lower incomes, and people who are Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, Native/Indigenous American, Native Alaskan, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander are also most at risk for kidney diseases and kidney failure. Dialysis, the most common therapy for those with kidney failure, has a 5-year mortality rate worse than nearly all forms of cancer and requires billions of dollars annually to manage and treat. The recent approval of numerous therapies that successfully slow or stop the progression of kidney diseases mean it is more important than ever to screen Americans who are at-risk so they can access these effective, novel drugs as soon as possible.
“Early screening to drive faster more comprehensive intervention are critical components of a holistic prevention strategy for kidney diseases,” said ASN President Michelle A. Josephson, MD, FASN. “We fully support USPSTF and their efforts to advance the research agenda on this critical public health priority.” Dr. Josephson added, “The entire kidney community has contributed to this decades-long effort and ASN is committed to continuing our work with other advocates, including the Coalition 4 Kidney Health, and the USPSTF to prioritize screening for kidney diseases as USPSTF finalizes its draft research plan.”
For more information, please visit https://www.asn-online.org/policy/lac.aspx?ID=36
About ASN
Since 1966, ASN has been leading the fight to prevent, treat, and cure kidney diseases throughout the world by educating health professionals and scientists, advancing research and innovation, communicating new knowledge and advocating for the highest quality care for patients. ASN has more than 20,000 members representing 132 countries. For more information, visit www.asn-online.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
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