New Study Confirms Progress Made in Transplant Equity by Removing Race from Clinical Equations

ROCKVILLE, Md. (March 9, 2026) — LaVarne A. Burton, President and CEO of the American Kidney Fund (AKF), issued the following statement about a new study evaluating the impact of a policy change on kidney transplant waitlist modifications published in JAMA Internal Medicine today. 

"We are encouraged by new research that shows policies implemented to correct harmful race-based equations are working, showing a median gain of 1.7 years on the waitlist for Black transplant candidates as well as leading to increased transplant rates among Black patients who were listed for transplant both before and after dialysis initiation. 

"These tangible results are not only significant for nationwide efforts to ensure that kidney transplantation in the United States is fair and equitable for all those facing kidney failure, but they are deeply meaningful for the more than 21,000 people who have received wait time modifications since this policy was implemented.

"This historic policy shift has already led to significant strides in making transplant more equitable, but there is still more work ahead. Increasing access to transplant is one of the main goals of the American Kidney Fund's Kidney Health for All® initiative, and we have been working to help more people understand the complex transplant process through the development of educational resources, helping to break access barriers by ensuring people have the tools to navigate the system." 

Background:

• In 2023, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) changed its policy to require that transplant centers use a race-neutral calculation to determine a transplant candidate's estimated glomerular filtration rate
• The policy requires transplant hospitals to use the same calculation for all kidney patients, instead of using a separate equation for black patients, which historically put Black kidney patients at a disadvantage by overestimating their kidney function resulting in longer wait times for kidney transplants. 

For more information about AKF's efforts to increase access to kidney transplant, visit KidneyHealthforAll.org.