ASN Society News - April 8, 2022
Call on the Federal Government to Prioritize Kidney Health
On April 8, 2022, the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA), the American Society of Nephrology (ASN), the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), and the Renal Healthcare Association (RHA) sent a letter to incoming White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH, urging him and his colleagues across the federal government to prioritize the needs of people living with kidney diseases in pandemic planning and response. Specifically, the group asked that the administration work with stakeholders to:
- Alleviate supply crises at dialysis facilities due to supply chain challenges and staff shortages.
- Ensure dialysis facilities continue to receive high-level, government-approved face masks and other personal protective equipment.
- Support accelerated manufacturing and distribution of monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19 infection.
- Prioritize dialysis patients and staff for access to novel COVID-19 therapeutics.
- Urge the Food and Drug Administration to recognize waning immunity in vaccinated people with kidney failure and provide additional guidance for prescribing treatments and vaccines for the immunocompromised.
- Encourage state and federal governments to allow reciprocity for nurses to allow for interstate practice, regardless of whether the state is a compact state, during this acute crisis.
- Provide dedicated research funding to the National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to study the impact of COVID-19 on people with kidney diseases.
ASN and the kidney health community will continue to advocate for the optimal care of the 37 million people in the United States living with kidney diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the entire letter below and call on Dr. Jha to prioritize people with kidney diseases via Twitter.