National Kidney Foundation’s 75th Anniversary: Top Milestones That Changed Kidney Care

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is turning 75! Since 1950, we’ve worked to make kidney care better, fairer, and more affordable. From helping secure Medicare coverage for dialysis to improving access to transplants, NKF has made a big difference for millions. Join us as we look back at 10 key achievements that shaped kidney health and continue to inspire hope today.

^{Pictured with Chief Warrant Officer and Mrs. William Dizney are George M. Lingua, NKF President, standing, and Ira Griefer, M.D., NKF Medical Director}

Before 1972, people with kidney failure paid for dialysis and transplants out of pocket. These expensive treatments meant many faced financial hardship or life-threatening challenges. 

NKF led a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of these struggles.

The hard work paid off. In 1972, the Medicare ESRD Program was passed as part of the Social Security Amendments. Medicare now covers anyone with kidney failure, regardless of age or income.

The program covers:

• In-center hemodialysis, home hemodialysis, and peritoneal dialysis.
• Kidney transplants, including surgery, follow-up care, and immunosuppressive drugs. NKF's advocacy also led to lifelong coverage for immunosuppressants in 2023.

This landmark policy transformed kidney care. It made treatments accessible, ensuring kidney care is a right, not a privilege. It remains the only disease-specific Medicare program to date.

Learn more about Medicare. 

^{Healthcare professional at NKF Booth during 2015 Spring Clinical Meeting}

In 1991, NKF hosted the first Spring Clinical Meeting. SCM educates healthcare professionals and shares skills to improve patient care. At that time, most kidney conferences focused on research. NKF's event offered hands-on workshops and small-group discussions to encourage active learning.

Today, the SCM is one of America's most influential kidney care conferences. Professionals gather each year to earn continuing education credits. They learn the most up-to-date kidney research and leave with practical insights.

Learn more about Spring Clinical Meetings. 

^{2002 KDOQI® Meeting}

In the 1990s, NKF recognized that kidney disease care was inconsistent. There were no universal guidelines for healthcare providers. NKF worked with kidney experts to review the latest research. Together, they created evidence-based, clear guidelines to address this.

In 1997, NKF published the first KDOQI guidelines, covering:

• Diagnosis criteria
• Stages of kidney disease
• Complications like anemia
• Nutrition guidelines
• Best practices for dialysis and kidney transplants

NKF regularly updates the guidelines in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases (AJKD). 

^{Article published in November 1962 in LIFE magazine. Written by Shana Alexander}

Before 2004, organ donation rates in the U.S. were low. Few people knew about living donation and resources to support organ recovery were scarce. 

NKF and other organizations worked to change this, sharing the importance of living organ donation with lawmakers and the public.

The Organ Donation and Recovery Improvement Act was passed in 2004. Now, federal funding exists to reimburse living donors for travel and other expenses. The reimbursement makes organ donation more accessible for potential donors.

There is still work to be done, though! Insurance companies can discriminate against living donors. The Living Donor Protection Act (LDPA) will prevent this.

Tell your Members of Congress about the LDPA legislation.

^{NKF Volunteer at a 2007 KEEP Healthy event, NKF's community-based CKD screening program.}

Before 2006, there was little government funding dedicated to kidney disease prevention. NKF believed that prevention measures would reduce the need for dialysis or transplant. With the help of other advocates, NKF proved that prevention would save lives and cut healthcare costs. 

The CDC now finances kidney disease awareness programs that:

• Raise awareness about risk factors like diabetes and high blood pressure.
• Promote early detection through testing and education campaigns.
• Provide resources for healthcare providers to improve early care.
• Collect data and research to track the progress of prevention efforts.

Learn more about kidney disease risk factors.

^{EL-PFDD Meeting on Kidney Xenotransplantation, held on November 9th, 2023 in Bethesda, MD}

Before 2016, patients weren't included in decisions about new drug treatments. NKF noticed this problem. We worked with the National Health Council to help the FDA include patient voices in decision-making.

This partnership led to Voice of the Patient: Externally-Led Patient-Focused Drug Development (EL-PFDD) meetings. These meetings allow patients and caregivers to share their experiences with rare kidney diseases.

The FDA adopted these new guidelines. Now the patients' needs and voices are at the center, where they should be.

NKF has expanded the meetings to xenotransplantation, using animal organs for human transplants. 

Learn more about NKF's EL-PFDD xenotransplantation meetings.

 ^{Dr. Cynthia Delgado, co-chair of NKF-ASN Task Force on Reassessing the Inclusion of Race in Diagnosing Kidney Diseases}

The eGFR calculation checks how well a person’s kidneys are working. Before 2023, race was a factor in the equation. It assumed Black/African American Americans had higher creatinine levels. 

As a result, doctors diagnosed Black/African Americans with less severe kidney disease. Higher eGFRs kept patients from the kidney transplant list. 

Race is a social construct. In 2021, NKF and the American Society of Nephrology created a new way to estimate eGFR without using race. The new formula only uses age, gender, and creatinine levels. It gives more accurate results for everyone.

In January 2023, the OPTN rolled out the new equation. Kidney care professionals are now required to use the new formula. They also need to review waiting times and make adjustments if needed.

Within six months, more than 6,000 patients had their waiting times updated. Of those, 491 received a kidney from a deceased donor, and 15 got a kidney from a living donor.

Learn more about the new eGFR equation.

In 2022, NKF started Transplants For All to fight unfair access to kidney transplants. The goal is to improve transplant access and teach people about these problems.

Since the program began, NKF has made big progress. 

• Improved organ transplants: NKF helped pass the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act. This law aims to make the U.S. transplant system better. NKF’s CEO, Kevin Longino, stood with President Biden as he signed the law.
• Fought for fairer kidney scoring for Black donors: NKF helped remove race from the Kidney Donor Risk Index (KDRI), which predicts how long a kidney will last. The old system scored kidneys from Black donors lower than other races. This led to underused kidneys. Now the KDRI scores all kidneys the same.
• Inspired living kidney donors: The NKF Donor Connect PEERS program pairs potential donors with mentors. It has inspired 150 people to donate a kidney since it started in 2023.

Learn more about Transplants for All.

Some people struggle to get good healthcare because of where they live, who they are, or their background. NKF believes everyone deserves equal access to the best kidney care no matter where they live or who they are.

NKF’s KIDNEY EQUITY FOR ALL™ program is working to make this dream a reality.  

Since the program started:

• More than 700,000 people have taken NKF’s kidney disease risk quiz. This includes 400,000 Black/African Americans and Hispanic/Latinos. The quiz is also available in Arabic, with plans to add more languages.
• NKF’s CKDIntercept program helped screen more people at risk for kidney disease, including those with diabetes or high blood pressure. 5,000 test kits were handed out in  St. Louis. The program is expanding to other cities.
• NKF created and translated programs and materials to help different communities get the kidney health information they need in ways that are easier to understand.

Learn more about KIDNEY EQUITY FOR ALL™.

^{NKF's Professional Membership Booth at SCM 2024}

In 2024, NKF unveiled the CKD Spotlight Data Dashboard. This tool provides real-time data on kidney disease prevalence and outcomes. It helps healthcare providers, researchers, and policymakers target areas for improvement. 

The dashboard helps track how kidney disease affects different communities and regions. Watching trends gives us a clearer picture of how the disease spreads or improves over time.

Learn more about the CKD Spotlight Data Dashboard.

Stay tuned next month as we journey back in time. We’ll explore the early history of kidney disease treatment and NKF’s first decade of making an impact. Together, we’ll see how far we’ve come—and where we’re headed next.