To address the enormous public health threat of kidney disease, the American Kidney Fund (AKF) announced a partnership with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, to increase early detection and treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD)—the fastest-growing noncommunicable disease—and help those at risk to prevent it altogether.
The overwhelming majority—96%—of people with early-stage kidney disease are not aware they have it, thereby lacking the knowledge and treatment that could help them slow down or stop its progression to kidney failure (end-stage renal disease, or ESRD). The new campaign will build on AKF’s Know Your Kidneys™ program, already the nation’s largest free kidney health screening program, and emphasize the strong links between kidney disease and diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease.
The importance of early detection of kidney disease was recently highlighted as a key component of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ new “Advancing American Kidney Health” initiative. AKF’s campaign will complement federal efforts to make kidney disease a national priority in order to reduce the number of Americans who reach kidney failure.
Diabetes and high blood pressure are the leading causes of kidney disease and account for nearly two-thirds of new cases of kidney failure. A primary goal of AKF’s Know Your Kidneys campaign will be to increase the understanding of CKD as a severe and realistic consequence of insufficiently managing these two conditions. Because kidney disease typically has no symptoms until the late stages, AKF’s campaign will focus on reaching those most at risk for kidney disease as well as those who already have a diagnosis.
The American Kidney Fund fights kidney disease on all fronts as the nation’s leading kidney nonprofit. AKF works on behalf of the 37 million Americans living with kidney disease, and the millions more at risk, with an unmatched scope of programs that support people wherever they are in their fight against kidney disease—from prevention through transplant. With programs that address early detection, disease management, financial assistance, clinical research, innovation, and advocacy, no kidney organization impacts more lives than AKF.
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. aspires to transform lives by bringing life-saving and life-changing solutions to people who need them. The company is committed to providing safe and effective medicines as well as the services and support that contribute to healthy outcomes. As a leading pharmaceutical company in the United States, the focus is on innovation for some of the most devastating diseases and the most complex medical challenges, across six therapeutic areas: Cardiovascular & Metabolism; Immunology; Infectious Diseases & Vaccines; Neuroscience; Oncology; and Pulmonary Hypertension.
This was reported by the American Kidney Fund on September 5, 2019.
Contact information: Alice Andors, Senior Director of Communications, American Kidney Fund, 11921 Rockville Pike, Suite 300, Rockville, Maryland 20852; 240-292-7053; Email: aandors@kidneyfund.org; Website: http://www.kidneyfund.org
Contact information: Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 1000 U.S. Highway Route 202 South Raritan, New Jersey 08869; 800-526-7736; Website: www.janssen.com
