At issue is a once widely used test that overestimated how well Black people’s kidneys were functioning, making them look healthier than they really were — all because of an automated formula that calculated results for Black and non-Black patients differently. That race-based equation could delay diagnosis of organ failure and evaluation for a transplant, exacerbating other disparities that already make Black patients more at risk of needing a new kidney but less likely to get one.

A few years ago, the National Kidney Foundation and American Society of Nephrology prodded laboratories to switch to race-free equations in calculating kidney function. Then the U.S. organ transplant network ordered hospitals to use only race-neutral test results in adding new patients to the kidney waiting list.

Dr. Martha Pavlakis (of Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and former chair of the network’s kidney committee) calls what happened next an attempt at restorative justice: The transplant network gave hospitals a year to uncover which Black kidney candidates could have qualified for a new kidney sooner if not for the race-based test — and adjust their waiting time to make up for it. That lookback continues for each newly listed Black patient to see if they, too, should have been referred sooner.

  • Scroll Responsibly@lemmy.sdf.org
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    7 months ago

    Don’t factor race into medical evaluation, that’s racist and you are killing black people. Factor race into medical evaluation, that’s racist and you are killing black people.

    It’s a no win.

    It’s not a game, it’s peoples’ lives. Treat patients as they are, factor in race when it’s relevant, and no reasonable person will think that you’re racist.

    It’s only racist when one factors in race when it’s not relevant, thus harming patients.

    • Melkath@kbin.social
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      7 months ago

      It’s called practicing medicine for a reason, and perhaps advancement isn’t being made faster because no matter what the doctor practicing the medicine does, they are called a racist who is intentionally trying to kill them, so the doctors steer clear of the topics, and outdated measurements stay in use for decades.

      Honestly, it reeks of excuses for malpractice lawsuits.