Expert panel recommends against use of race in assessment of kidney function
An expert task force on Thursday released a new and much-anticipated approach for diagnosing kidney function, saying there is no need for controversial algorithms that consider race in the assessment of kidney disease.
The new recommendations come as a victory for a growing number of physicians and activists who argue the use of race-based tools in medicine is outdated and wrong because race is not a good proxy for genetic difference — and sends the message that some races are biologically inferior. Many also argue that the separate racial thresholds for classifying kidney disease underestimate the extent of disease in Black patients, leaving them less likely to receive the speciality kidney care they need or be placed on transplant waitlists.
