ASN LAUNCHES DIABETIC KIDNEY DISEASE COLLABORATIVE TO ENSURE PEOPLE WITH KIDNEY DISEASES BENEFIT FROM NEW THERAPIES FOR DIABETIC KIDNEY DISEASE
Newswise — Washington, DC (July 25, 2019) —The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) is pleased to announce the launch of the Diabetic Kidney Disease Collaborative (DKD-C) in response to the recent development of new therapies for people with diabetic kidney disease (DKD). The Diabetic Kidney Disease Collaborative will work to increase coordination among primary care physicians, nephrologists, and other specialists to deliver appropriate therapies to people living with DKD.
With the rising prevalence of diabetes, the need for innovative therapies for people with DKD is greater than ever before. DKD remains one of the most common and serious complications of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Even with control of major risk factors, the likelihood of developing DKD remains high. The last major advancement in treatment for DKD in T2D was reported nearly 20 years ago with the development of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs).
“Life with a kidney disease can be extremely challenging, and patients deserve the most advanced and innovative treatment in order to manage their conditions,” said ASN Councilor Susan Quaggin, MD, FASN. “We are launching DKD-C to help accelerate the use of new therapies, educate the healthcare community as well as address policy issues that can prevent patient access to quality care.”
With the recently reported results of CREDENCE (Canagliflozin and Renal Events in Diabetes with Established Nephropathy Clinical Evaluation), which demonstrated substantial kidney and cardiovascular benefits in patients with T2D and DKD through the use of SGLT2 inhibitors on top of standard of care, ASN has prioritized educating the nephrology community and increasing collaboration across specialties on the use of these life-changing therapies.
The goals of DKD-C are to:
- Determine the role of the nephrologist in diagnosing and treating diabetic kidney diseases; these roles include advocating for people with DKD, having ASN review current and advise on future clinical practice guidelines in this area, and ensuring that nephrologists prescribe the appropriate therapies.
- Encourage nephrologists to interact proactively with primary care physicians, endocrinologists, cardiologists and other specialists to ensure people with DKD receive the highest-quality care possible.
- Provide educational information to help nephrologists and other health professionals provide high-quality care to people with DKD.
- Address legislative, regulatory, and policy issues that affect the ability of nephrologists and other health professionals to provide high-quality care to people with DKD.
- Hold multi-stakeholder conference(s), to include the Kidney Health Initiative (KHI) and other relevant partners, to build on the momentum surrounding DKD.
“ASN’s DKD-C emphasizes the integral role of nephrologists in providing and overseeing high-quality care for people living with DKD,” explains Katherine R. Tuttle, MD, FASN, a member of the KHI Board of Directors and the ASN DKD-C Task Force. “To ensure new therapies are accessible and utilized appropriately, this initiative will require collaboration, partnership, innovative approaches with multi-stakeholder engagement.”
The establishment of DKD-C furthers ASN’s commitment to catalyzing innovation, transforming care, and improving the lives for people living with kidney diseases. To learn more about the Diabetic Kidney Disease Collaborative, please contact Susan Stark, Project Director, at [email protected].
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 131 countries. For more information, please visit www.asn-online.org or contact the society at 202-640-4660.
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