RSN News Archive

ONELEGACY 2007 PERFORMANCE MARKED BY RECORD (4/7/2008)
1,233 Recovered Organs Transplanted from 395 Organ Donors;1,419 Tissue Donors Benefit Tens of Thousands

FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Ground Beef Products Due To Possible Salmonella Contamination (12/21/2007)
Affects purchases made at Safeway supermarkets in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and New Mexico between Sept. 19 and Nov. 5, 2007

BILL TO CLOSE LEGAL LOOPHOLE IN PAIRED KIDNEY DONATIONS PASSES U.S. HOUSE AND SENATE (12/11/2007)
PKD Foundation supports legislation, but treatment or cure to avoid transplant is ultimate goal.

BILL TO CLOSE LEGAL LOOPHOLE IN PAIRED KIDNEY DONATIONS PASSES U.S. HOUSE AND SENATE (12/11/2007)
PKD Foundation supports legislation, but treatment or cure to avoid transplant is ultimate goal.

OPTN/UNOS Statement Regarding HIV and Hepatitis C Transmission through Organ Transplantation (12/6/2007)


DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INCLUDES PKD RESEARCH AMONG PEER REVIEWED FUNDING PROJECTS FOR FY 2008 (11/21/2007)
PKD Researchers can apply for grants from $50 million in DOD funding.

DISTANCE FROM TRANSPLANT CENTER CANNOT EXPLAIN RACIAL GAP IN KIDNEY TRANSPLANT WAITLISTING (11/21/2007)
Why are African-American patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) less likely to be placed on waiting lists for kidney transplantation?

Eating fish, omega-3 oils, fruits and veggies lowers risk of memory problems (11/13/2007)
A diet rich in fish, omega-3 oils, fruits and vegetables may lower your risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease

Kidney Patient Organizations, Kidney Community Come Out in Support of Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) Extension (11/13/2007)
Patient organizations support extending MSP and using savings for improving Medicare program; National Kidney Foundation, Renal Support Network, American Kidney Fund and DaVita Patient Citizens submit letters to Capitol Hill in favor of ESRD provisions

FDA Strengthens Boxed Warnings, Approves Other Safety Labeling Changes for Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents (ESAs) (11/12/2007)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved revised boxed warnings and other safety-related product labeling changes for erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), which treat certain types of anemia.

Amgen Announces Updates to the U.S. Prescribing Information for ESAs (11/8/2007)
Amgen updates package inserts on Aranesp and EPOGEN/PROCRIT to reflect current state of knowledge of these products

AMGEN FOUNDATION DONATES $500,000 TO AID IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE RELIEF EFFORTS (10/25/2007)
The Amgen Foundation today announced that it is providing cash contributions totaling $500,000 to support those affected by the devastating fires throughout Southern California and has established a company-wide disaster relief program.

American Kidney Fund Providing Disaster Relief to California Dialysis Patients (10/24/2007)
AKF has activated its Disaster Relief Program to provide emergency grants to help dialysis patients who have been affected by the California wildfires.

Kidney Care Community Voices Strong Support for Kidney Patients' Right to Choose (10/22/2007)
House of Representatives' Extension of Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) for Kidney Dialysis Patients Praised for Providing Clinical, Economic and Family Benefits for Patients

Early Intervention Dramatically Improves Outcomes for New Dialysis Patients (10/18/2007)
A program of education, close medical follow-up, and self-empowerment for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) newly starting dialysis, reduces complications and improves outcomesincluding significant reductions in mortality and hospitalization rates

WORLDWIDE PKD CLINICS LIST NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE (10/17/2007)
With the click of a mouse, 12.5 million patients living with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) can now find physicians in their area, who know about PKD.

TWO MILLION CALIFORNIANS SAY 'YES!' TO ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION (10/9/2007)
Statewide Donate Life California Organ & Tissue Donor Registry Reaches 2 Million Registrations Minorities and Older Residents Less Likely to Register

RSN's Hartwell Honored by the National Renal Administrators Association (10/5/2007)
RSN Founder and President received the Mark Zawiski Memorial Award from NRAA. RSN received NRAA contribution of $30,000

RSN Patient Survey Results now Available (9/18/2007)
Medicare is currently evaluating a wide range of changes in the end-stage renal disease program. RSN surveyed kidney patients across the US.

FDA Hears Patient Testimony on Anemia (9/14/2007)
The Joint Committee of the FDA hears patient testimony; Lori Hartwell, RSN President and Founder testifies

RSN Launches HOPEline (9/10/2007)
Call (800)579-1970 to speak to knowledgeable, compassionate peer patients for empowerment!

RSN Launches "Kidneyspace.com" on the web (8/13/2007)
Online Discussion Forum helps build Renal Community

NATIONWIDE DATA HIGHLIGHT ENCOURAGING TRENDS, 'STAGGERING' COSTS OF ESRD (8/9/2007)
Recent progress in the prevention and treatment of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the United States give reason for "cautious optimism," but skyrocketing costs are a major concern, according to a Special Article in the October Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

OBESITY LINKED TO HYPERPARATHYROIDISM IN CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE (8/8/2007)
For patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), the risk of elevated levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), or hyperparathyroidism increases along with body weight, reports a study in the September Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

RSN 2007 National Patient Leadership Meeting (7/26/2007)
RSN 2007 National Patient Leadership Meeting "Health, Happiness and Hope"

Kidney Care Community Warning: Proposed Medicare Cuts for Dialysis Care Would Impede Quality (7/26/2007)
Kidney Care Partners today warned that proposed cuts to Medicare's End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) benefit would impede quality progress in dialysis care.

COMBINATION THERAPY STOPS LOSS OF KIDNEY FUNCTION IN RARE GENETIC DISEASE (7/25/2007)
A combination of two types of blood pressure-lowering drugs is the first treatment shown to stop progressive loss of kidney function in patients with severe kidney involvement due to the rare genetic disorder Fabry disease, reports a study in the September Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

MEDICARE TO MODIFY ITS CLAIMS MONITORING POLICY FOR USE OF ERYTHROPOIESIS STIMULATING AGENTS (ESAs) FOR ANEMIA TREATMENT IN DIALYSIS (7/20/2007)
"CMS is committed to establishing and maintaining policies in all areas of Medicare that promote efficient and appropriate use of medical interventions, protect beneficiaries, and enable providers to furnish high quality care," said Leslie V. Norwalk, CMS acting administrator.

OPTN/UNOS Addresses Living Donor Follow-up (7/13/2007)
Approved new requirements to extend and enhance data collection on the health of living organ donors after donation.

Insights Into Anemia Control in Dialysis Patients (7/10/2007)
Study of Variations in Hemoglobin Levels May Inform Debates over ESA Use

American Nephrology Nurses' Association Storms Capitol Hill and White House During Health Policy Workshop (6/26/2007)
ANNA members advocated for nephrology nursing and kidney patients and secured new co-sponsors for the Kidney Care Quality and Education Act.

RSN's weKAN Program Visits 169 Congressional Offices (6/20/2007)
On June 5th and 6th members of the Renal Support Network's Wellness & Education Kidney Advocacy Network or "weKAN" descended on Washington, DC to deliver a message to members of congress to support the Kidney Care Quality and Education Act of 2007.

The Renal Community Celebrates One Year of KidneyTalk (6/12/2007)
KidneyTalk Prescribes a Weekly Dose of Laughter and Information

As Dialysis Becomes A Target of Cost Control, Doctor-Patient Relationship is Key (6/12/2007)
Nephrologists Urged to Play Active Role in "Redesign" of Kidney Disease Care

Renal Support Network Announces KidneyTimes.com Essay Contest (6/11/2007)
People who have Kidney Disease are Encouraged to Submit Their Stories

Box Warnings on all Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agents (5/24/2007)
The FDA ordered a black-box warnings for all gadolinium-based contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging, detailing an increased risk for nephrogenic systemic fibrosis with kidney-disease patients.

Free DaVita Hotline Connects Patients and Their Families with Resources to Ensure Life-Saving Care Continues During Natural Disasters Beginning June 1 (5/23/2007)
DaVita Inc. announced today that the company will provide a hurricane hotline (1-800-400-8331) to help dialysis patients find open clinics and schedule treatments during emergencies such as hurricanes and other natural disasters.

ACE Inhibitors Help Preserve Kidney Function in IgA Nephropathy (5/22/2007)
Researchers Urge Early Treatment to Reduce Long-Term Dialysis Risk

FDA Issues Safety Alert on Avandia (5/22/2007)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is aware of a potential safety issue related to Avandia (rosiglitazone), a drug approved to treat type 2 diabetes.

Medicare Issues Proposed Coverage Decision on Erythropoesis Stimulating Agents In Response to FDA's Recent Black Box Warning and Public Health Advisories (5/15/2007)
The CMS announced today its proposed decision to limit coverage of ESA treatment for beneficiaries with certain cancers and related neoplastic conditions.

Call for Entries: The Astellas Ride of A Lifetime Contest (5/2/2007)
Astellas has launched its third annual Ride of a Lifetime contest, providing an opportunity for five transplant recipients to ride on the DonateLife float in the 2008 Rose Parade.

Shire Pharmaceuticals extends 'Kidney-Friendly' Cooking Program (4/11/2007)
Celebrity Chef Katie Lee Joel and Dietary Expert Marianne Hutton Offer New Recipes and Dietary Tips for Managing Kidney Disease With Diabetes

Kidney Failure Victim Wants to Share Life Saving Secrets with You ... Before It's Too Late (4/6/2007)
You can reach forward and live the life that you deserve despite living with kidney failure or any other chronic illness.

New PEPP Speakers Hold Meeting in Los Angeles (4/5/2007)
"PEPPer's" Spend a Week Preparing to Educate Those with Kidney Disease

What's New on KidneyTalk in 2007? (3/26/2007)
Learn about what's new on KidneyTalk in 2007! Find out about upcoming shows and new services like the KidneyTalk hotline.

Read the Spring 2007 edition of the Live & Give Newsletter (3/26/2007)
The quarterly update helping educate and motivate people living with chronic kidney disease.

New Medicare Hospital Conditions of Participation for Transplant Centers (3/23/2007)
This final rule will move Medicare-covered transplant programs toward an outcome-focused system that reflects the clinical experience, resources and commitment of the transplant program.

Statement from Lori Hartwell - President, Renal Support Network (3/16/2007)
On the U.S Food and Drug Administration's Decision to Issue a Health Warning on the Use of Aranesp, Epogen and Procrit

Renal Support Network Launches KidneyTimes (3/8/2007)
Site Revolutionizes the Way Patients and Providers Obtain Information

Kidney Care Partners Applauds House and Senate Leaders for Introducing the Kidney Care Quality and Education Act (2/27/2007)
Legislation addresses sharp anticipated growth of kidney disease and failure; One in nine Americans suffers from kidney disease and 400,000 depend on quality dialysis care

Shire extends FOSRENOL(r) At Hand Program to cover Medicare Part D Enrollees (2/26/2007)
Through this program addition, Shire will now provide FOSRENOL(r) (lanthanum carbonate) free of charge to qualifying patients who are enrolled in a Medicare prescription drug plan.

FDA Approves New Dosing Recommendations for Wyeth's Rapamune (2/2/2007)
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved new dosing recommendations for its immunosuppressant drug RAPAMUNE. RAPAMUNE is the first and only kidney transplant therapeutic with dosing recommendations specifically for the treatment of high immunologic risk renal transplant recipients.

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