Press release

American Kidney Fund's Statement on U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Draft Research Plan on Chronic Kidney Disease Screening

LaVarne A. Burton, President and CEO of the American Kidney Fund (AKF), issued a statement about the draft research plan on chronic kidney disease (CKD) screening by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), an independent panel that makes evidence-based recommendations about clinical preventive services.

ROCKVILLE, Md. (Feb. 15, 2023) — LaVarne A. Burton, President and CEO of the American Kidney Fund (AKF), issued the following statement about the draft research plan on chronic kidney disease (CKD) screening by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), an independent panel that makes evidence-based recommendations about clinical preventive services:

"With millions of people in the United States at risk for kidney disease – whether that's because they have diabetes, high blood pressure, family history, or some other rare or unknown cause – the American Kidney Fund supports CKD screening recommendations that, if implemented, would greatly improve the ability to catch kidney disease early and slow the progression of this life-altering disease.

"More than 800,000 people in the U.S. live with kidney failure and rely on dialysis or a transplant to survive. We broadly support the USPSTF's draft research plan, particularly its proposed approach to assessing health equity. While kidney disease spares no racial or ethnic group, kidney failure disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic people in particular.

"We thank the USPSTF for undertaking this urgent work to address the kidney disease crisis in the United States through proactive, potentially life-saving prevention measures."

AKF's full comment submitted to USPSTF regarding the draft research plan may be viewed here.

About the American Kidney Fund

The American Kidney Fund (AKF) fights kidney disease on all fronts as the nation’s leading kidney nonprofit. AKF works on behalf of the 37 million Americans living with kidney disease, and the millions more at risk, with an unmatched scope of programs that support people wherever they are in their fight against kidney disease—from prevention through transplant. With programs that address early detection, disease management, financial assistance, clinical research, innovation and advocacy, no kidney organization impacts more lives than AKF. One of the nation’s top-rated nonprofits, AKF invests 97 cents of every donated dollar in programs, earning the highest 4-Star rating from Charity Navigator for 20 years in a row as well as the Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid, formerly GuideStar.

For more information, please visit KidneyFund.org, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.