Black patients impacted by eGFR race coefficient can modify transplant waitlist time

ByJulie S. Keenan

Fact checked byGina Brockenbrough, MA

The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network passed a policy to provide Black patients impacted by the eGFR race coefficient with the opportunity to modify their wait time for transplantation, according to a press release.

On Dec. 5, 2022, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) board voted unanimously to pass the policy into effect for Jan. 5, 2023. This change follows the OPTN policy in June 2022 to require transplant hospitals to use eGFR equations without the race coefficient.

clocks — This change will backdate the wait times of these kidney transplant candidates. Source: *Adobe Stock*

Prior to the removal of the race coefficient, many Black patients experienced a disadvantaged wait time for kidney transplants and increased risk for disease severity, according to the release. This change will backdate the wait times of these kidney transplant candidates.

Silas P. Norman

“Beyond the policy, the most important thing is that we get patients with chronic kidney disease into nephrology care sooner and that patients are referred for kidney transplant evaluation in a timely manner,” Silas P. Norman, MD, chair-elect of the board of trustees for the American Kidney Fund and co-medical director of kidney and pancreas transplantation at the University of Michigan, told Healio. “Currently, most of the patients we see are already on dialysis. Ideally, those patients would have been referred to a transplant center 3 to 5 years before needing dialysis. This is the best way to transplant people before they need dialysis. To effect this change requires a lot of physician and patient education, improvements in access to medical care and a better understanding of how the kidney waiting list works. But these are all hurdles that can be overcome.”

Reference:

Waiting time adjustment approved for kidney transplant candidates affected by race-based calculation. https://unos.org/news/waiting-time-adjustment-approved-for-kidney-transplant-candidates-affected-by-race-based-calculation/. Published Jan. 5, 2023. Accessed Jan. 10, 2023.

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Source:

Press Release

Disclosures: Norman reports previously serving on the United Network for Organ Sharing Board, Kidney Transplantation Committee and Minority Affairs Committees, including being a previous chair of the Minority Affairs Committee; and being a current member of the American Society of Transplantation Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access to Life Committee.

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Black patients impacted by eGFR race coefficient can modify transplant waitlist time

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