Global perspective of kidney diseases: Challenges and changes

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health issue worldwide. Although strategies for prevention, early detection and treatment to reduce the progression of CKD should remain continuous endeavours, public funding for kidney replacement therapy is urgently needed in low-income countries (LICs) and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). A multisectoral approach is needed to tackle the global burden of kidney disease. Getting a new drug, from first testing to final approval by a regulatory agency and ultimately to market, is a long, costly and risky process. While clinical trials and research have delivered new therapies and devices to patients with kidney disease during the last decade, there remains a significant residual risk for patients with CKD. Therefore, developing new drugs for better treatment and patient care is essential. For this purpose, the ISN held a consensus meeting entitled ‘TRANSFORM; TRAnslational Nephrology Science FOR new Medications’, which connected experts in the global kidney community and provided guidance on optimal management of translational animal studies for the development of new drugs to treat kidney diseases.