Statement by Kevin Longino, CEO of the National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant recipient, on the Living Donor Protection Act (LDPA) (S. 1552) being introduced by the Senate.
Washington, DC (May 5, 2025) - "The introduction of the Living Donor Protection Act in the Senate is a critical step forward in protecting those who make the selfless choice to save lives through organ donation. By removing barriers and ensuring donors don't face discrimination, we can help address the national organ shortage crisis and save more lives. I thank Senators Cotton and Gillibrand, for their leadership, and I strongly urge Congress to pass this vital legislation this year.”
You can read more about the LDPA here.
About Kidney Disease
In the United States, more than 35 million adults are estimated to have kidney disease, also known as chronic kidney disease (CKD)—and approximately 90 percent don’t know they have it. About 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. are at risk for kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and family history. People of Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. Black or African American people are about four times as likely as White people to have kidney failure. Hispanics experience kidney failure at about double the rate of White people.
About the National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation is revolutionizing the fight to save lives by eliminating preventable kidney disease, accelerating innovation for the dignity of the patient experience, and dismantling structural inequities in kidney care, dialysis, and transplantation. For more information about NKF, visit www.kidney.org.
###