OPTN Will Remove Race From Kidney Donor Profile Index

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and American Society of Nephrology released a joint statement applauding a decision by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) to remove the African American/Black race coefficient from the Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) calculation.

The KDPI is the mathematical formula that estimates the quality of a donated kidney. Under the old equation, kidneys from Black donors were classified as having worse organ function than kidneys from White donors.

“With the new approach, some kidneys that may have otherwise been considered unsuitable for transplantation due to the inclusion of race in the formula will now receive more favorable scores, including some that will now be classified with scores that make them more appropriate for transplant,” explained Cynthia Delgado, MD, who participated in the OPTN task force that spearheaded efforts to revise the formula.

The new formula also omits information about whether the donor was positive for hepatitis C virus (HCV). Due to therapeutic advances, post-transplant outcomes are now similar for kidneys from HCV-positive deceased donors and kidneys from HCV-negative donors.

“We applaud OPTN for advancing this change and are optimistic that this policy will promote equity and increase the number of kidneys available for transplant now,” said Kevin Longino, chief executive officer of the NKF and a kidney donation recipient.