ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 28, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Kidney Fund (AKF), the nation’s largest independent nonprofit fighting kidney disease, today joins with the Congressional Kidney Caucus and a host of organizations in calling attention to the potential of public-private partnerships in advancing research, innovation and treatment for more than 30 million Americans living with chronic kidney disease and kidney failure.
“Kidney disease ranks among the top 10 causes of death in the United States, killing more people each year than most cancers. It is critical that the federal government further invest in, and incentivize, kidney disease research, prevention, early detection, and treatment advances,” said LaVarne A. Burton, president and CEO of AKF. “We commend the Congressional Kidney Caucus for its leadership in efforts to support research and new therapies.”
A Capitol Hill briefing this afternoon will focus on the public health crisis kidney diseases pose for our society, and the federal government’s role in providing access to treatment for Americans with kidney disease, kidney failure and kidney transplants. Speakers and participants representing the Congressional Kidney Caucus, the Administration, the National Institutes for Health and the kidney community will tie together the public and private initiatives, incentives and investments—both underway and still needed—that will pave the way for the most effective and efficient treatments and innovations.
“AKF, along with the tens of thousands of patients we represent, is hopeful that we are starting to see real momentum in the fight against kidney disease,” Burton said. “Initiatives like the Department of Health and Human Services’ Kidney Innovation Accelerator (KidneyX) are cause for optimism—and we urge the federal government to continue partnering with and incentivizing the private sector to spark innovation that will improve the lives of so many Americans who are living with this disease.”
About the American Kidney Fund
As the nation’s leading nonprofit working on behalf of the 30 million Americans with kidney disease, the American Kidney Fund is dedicated to ensuring that every kidney patient has access to health care, and that every person at risk for kidney disease is empowered to prevent it. AKF provides a complete spectrum of programs and services: prevention outreach, top-rated health educational resources, and direct financial assistance enabling 1 in 5 U.S. dialysis patients to access lifesaving medical care, including dialysis and transplantation. AKF holds the highest ratings from the nation’s charity watchdog groups, including Charity Navigator, which includes AKF on its “top 10” list of nonprofits with the longest track records of outstanding stewardship of the donated dollar, and GuideStar, which has awarded AKF its Platinum Seal of Transparency.