Six-month monitoring report for OPTN race-neutral eGFR calculations requirement now available
Published on: Friday, September 29, 2023
A new data monitoring report contains key measures of the implementation of the that went into effect on July, 27, 2022. The purpose of this policy was to prohibit transplant programs’ use of eGFR calculations that include a race-based variable, in eGFR data submitted to the OPTN.
The most recent monitoring report presents six-months of post implementation data (July 27, 2022 – Jan. 26, 2023):
- Overall, there were no large changes in waitlist additions (6605 pre-policy vs. 6629 post policy) or transplants for Black kidney candidates.
- There were no substantial changes in additions and transplants pre-dialysis vs. post-dialysis.
The OPTN Minority Affairs Committee, which co-sponsored the policy proposal, reviewed the monitoring report at its May 15 meeting. The OPTN will continue to monitor eGFR values reported by transplant programs to the OPTN. This report only shows six-months of data pre- and post-implementation, so further monitoring is needed to determine the longer-term impacts of the policy.
Background
The OPTN Minority Affairs and Kidney Transplantation Committees co-sponsored the proposal approved by the OPTN board. The policy aims to reduce health disparities and address inequities for Black kidney candidates by requiring transplant programs to use eGFR calculators that do not include race variables. Improving equity in access to transplant opportunities for patients is an OPTN strategic goal. The removal of race variables from eGFR calculations was broadly supported by institutions including the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, as well as a joint task force of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) and the National Kidney Foundation (NKF).
Read the policy notice, the June 2022 board briefing paper, and the winter 2022 public comments.