NEW
YORK, May 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- TIME has
included the co-chairs of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF)/
American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Task Force
on Reassessing the Inclusion of Race in Diagnosing Kidney
Diseases, among its first-ever list of the 100 most influential
people in global health. The magazine recognized Cynthia Delgado, MD, FASN and Neil Powe, MD, MPH, MBA for their efforts to
correct racial bias in the algorithm used to diagnose kidney
diseases, an algorithm that often determines access to a kidney
transplant.
TIME included NKF/ASN Task Force co-chairs
in its first-ever list of the 100 most influential people in global
health.
In 2020, the NKF-ASN Task Force's final report outlined a new
race-free approach to estimate kidney function.
Recommendations included adopting a new equation incorporating
data from a more diverse patient population to eliminate the
variable of race from kidney function estimates. For decades,
Black Americans have been less likely to be wait-listed for or to
receive a kidney transplant than their White counterparts, despite
being two to four times more likely to experience kidney
failure.
Under the updated, race-free algorithm, some Black patients
recently received modified times on the wait list for a kidney
transplant. In addition to recommending the use of the race-free
algorithm, the Task Force also recommended national efforts to
facilitate increased, routine, and timely use of cystatin C,
especially to confirm estimated GFR in adults who are at risk for
or have chronic kidney disease (CKD), because combining filtration
markers (creatinine and cystatin C) is more accurate and would
support better clinical decisions than either marker alone. The
decision prompted the Organ Procurement and Transplantation
Network's re-evaluation of race-based estimating equations for
transplant listing and donor eligibility. These changes
mean that access to kidney transplantation is more equitably
available to all patients.
The TIME100 Health List recognizes the world's most influential
individuals in health across five categories: Innovators, Titans,
Pioneers, Leaders, and Catalysts. The full list and related
tributes are currently available at
https://time.com/collection/time100-health/ and will appear in
the May 13, 2024 print issue of
TIME., available on newsstands on Friday,
May 3.
Follow @TIME for updates about the list on Twitter and
Instagram and at Facebook.com/TIME.
#TIME100HEALTH
About the American Society of
Nephrology
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 nearly 22,000 members representing 141 countries.
For more information, visit
www.asn-online.org and follow us on
Facebook, X, LinkedIn,
and Instagram.
About the National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation is revolutionizing the fight to
save lives by eliminating preventable kidney disease, accelerating
innovation for the dignity of the patient experience, and
dismantling structural inequities in kidney care, dialysis, and
transplantation. For more information about kidney disease, please
visit www.kidney.org and follow us on
Facebook.com, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram.
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SOURCE The National Kidney Foundation