Kidney donors will no longer be required to answer a race-based question, the National Kidney Foundation announced on Monday. This change aims to enhance equity in kidney transplantation and improve the chances for nearly 90,000 individuals on the national kidney transplant waitlist. File Photo by 4466844/Pixabay
July 8, 2024 Story by: Editor
July 8 (UPI) — In an effort to enhance kidney transplant equity, a new policy will eliminate a question about race from the Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) as it “dishonors African American/Black donors.”
The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) announced Monday that the race-based indicator for African American/Black donors will be removed from the KDPI calculation. This change aims to improve the chances for nearly 90,000 individuals on the national kidney transplant waitlist.
“This has been a dishonor to African American/Black donors and a disservice to patients waiting for a life-saving kidney transplant,” said Kevin Longino, CEO of NKF. “We applaud OPTN for advancing this change and are optimistic that this policy will promote equity and increase the number of kidneys available for transplant now.”
Last September, NKF initiated a nationwide petition drive advocating for the removal of the race-based question.
“ASN applauds the revision of the KDPI without race,” stated ASN president Deidra C. Crews. “The revised formula will better reflect the likelihood of graft failure for kidneys from deceased donors and appropriately reflects the fact that race is a social, not a biological, construct.”
Previously, kidneys from Black donors were rated as having poorer organ function compared to kidneys from White donors.
“With the new approach, some kidneys that may have been deemed unsuitable for transplantation due to the inclusion of race in the formula will now receive more favorable scores, making them more appropriate for transplant,” explained Dr. Cynthia Delgado, who led the effort to reconsider the use of race.
In addition to removing race from the KDPI, Hepatitis C status will also be eliminated, as therapeutic advances have improved transplant outcomes with HCV-positive deceased donor kidneys.
“We believe all patients deserve equal access to kidney care and will continue to work towards that goal,” said Dr. Sylvia Rosas, NKF president. “Removal of the African American/Black race coefficient from the score used to evaluate the suitability of the kidney for transplantation is likely to improve transplant equity.” Source: UPI
