In September, a task force put together by the National Kidney Foundation and the American Society of Nephrology recommended the discontinuance of race-based testing in diagnosing kidney disease.
Then University of Maryland (Medical System and School of Medicine) announced on Wednesday, 11/17, that they will stop using the race-based diagnostic equation to estimate kidney function.
The article states, “Medical advocates believe the practice is a factor in Black patients qualifying for transplants later than they should.” It also states that according to researchers at the American Journal of Kidney diseases, more than 700,000 Black Americans could be treated for kidney diseases earlier if race were removed from calculations of kidney function.
Another article provides more explanation:
It states that for decades, clinicians have provided medical treatment with false assumptions about black bodies. The assumption was that a black body has more muscle mass than a white one. This has led to an overestimation of how well a black person’s kidney is functioning- thereby delaying critical medical treatment.
Well, at least this is a step in the right direction- despite being decades late. Ugh.
Andy Girl Is In Da Streets! 