WASHINGTON, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The American
Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) and the George Washington University (GW) School of
Medicine & Health Sciences (SMHS) announce their second
Annual Global Summit entitled, "Global Kidney Innovations
– Expanding Patient Choices & Outcomes." The Global
Summit will be hosted July 16-17,
2020. The meeting focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on
kidneys and kidney patients as well as key innovations in kidney
care. All registration fees have been dropped to provide the
broadest possible worldwide audience of frontline medical
professionals, researchers, and kidney patients with immediate
access to key insights related to COVID-19 and risks to kidney
patients.
The Summit agenda, list of confirmed speakers, and registration
information can be found at
https://aakp.org/programs-and-events/2nd-annual-global-summit-global-kidney-innovations-expanding-patient-choices-outcomes/.The
May 2019 Inaugural Global Summit was
livestreamed to over 50 countries and viewed by tens of thousands
of viewers.
AAKP and GW SMHS invited top national and international experts
in kidney care, including medical professionals, patient advocates,
academics and researchers, government decision-makers, industry
experts, and entrepreneurs. Beyond COVID-19, the agenda focuses on
emerging innovation and research to care for kidney diseases,
including diversity in clinical trials; precision medicine; genetic
conditions such as APOL1; emerging research in the areas of early
disease diagnosis and artificial intelligence; novel therapies in
transplantation, including wearable and artificial implantable
devices; and advancements in home dialysis care.
AAKP has already doubled the number of registrants from 2019.
2020 Global Summit registrants represent patients, kidney doctors,
biomedical researchers, artificial intelligence experts,
entrepreneurs, and investors across Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Ghana, Nepal,
India, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Netherlands, and a rapidly expanding number of
countries across the African continent.
Barbara L. Bass, MD, vice
president for health affairs at GW, dean of the GW School of
Medicine and Health Sciences, and CEO of the GW Medical Faculty
Associates, stated, "GW SMHS is honored to co-host the second
annual Global Summit in partnership with AAKP. This summit brings
together an international community of nephrologists and other
medical specialists, scientists, and kidney patients who share the
common goal of saving and restoring kidneys, and in so doing,
saving lives and improving health for patients with renal
disorders. This year's agenda, focused on the evolving body of
knowledge of the COVID-19 virus and the impact of the global
pandemic on patients living with kidney disease, is incredibly
timely and relevant. I am certain the program will broaden our
knowledge about this disease and its effects on all patients, with
a deliberate focus on patients with kidney disease."
AAKP President Richard Knight, a
14-year transplant recipient, stated "The Global Summit is a
tremendous opportunity for professionals and patients alike to
quickly learn more about leading developments in kidney disease.
This activity is a patient-led and unique event that allows all
participants to increase collaboration, expand their professional
networks, and to become better informed advocates for fully
inclusive clinical trials, smart innovation, more investments in
research, and the expansion of patient-centered kidney care."
Knight has served in multiple kidney advocacy roles and is a former
U.S. congressional staff member.
Global Summit Co-Chair and GW's Chief of the Division of Kidney
Diseases and Hypertension Dominic Raj, MD, FACP, FASN, said, "The
Division has a long tradition of progressive kidney medicine dating
back to the 1950s that continues at GW today. This summit advocates
for participatory medicine by providing a platform for patients,
caregivers, policy makers, scientists, and industry to come
together with the unified mission of improving kidney patient
outcomes."
AAKP Chair of Policy and Global Affairs Paul T. Conway, a Global
Summit co-chair, stated, "Changing status quo kidney care and
blunting the worldwide spread of kidney disease depends upon
greater collaborations in medical research, more representative
clinical trials, and innovation. But the greatest drivers for
change will be kidney patient consumers who are free to exercise
care choice without the interference of restrictive policies
imposed by either government or self-appointed outside experts
whose aim is to impose quality adjusted life year measures and
limit access to care." Conway is a 40-year kidney patient who has
served in policy positions under three U.S. presidents and three
state governors.
AAKP and GW SMHS thank their 2020 Global Summit sponsors: Amgen,
Inc.; CareDx; Natera; Eurofins Transplant Genomics; Outset Medical;
and Retrophin.
ABOUT GLOBAL SUMMIT PARTNERS:
About the American Association of Kidney Patients
(AAKP): AAKP is among the strongest global advocates for
kidney patient consumer care choice and treatment innovation. From
1969-1973, AAKP patients led the effort in the U.S. Congress
alongside senior White House officials to establish the End Stage
Renal Disease Program, which has saved over a million lives through
modern dialysis coverage. AAKP virtual platforms and social
networks are internationally known for their impact. In 2019, AAKP
announced the start of the Decade of the Kidney™ upon the
signing of the White House Executive Order on Advancing American
Kidney Health Initiative. Since 2018, AAKP has conducted the
largest virtual kidney voter registration drive in America,
the "I am a Kidney Voter" campaign, which has
registered patients in every state. AAKP fights for policies
to increase early disease detection, increase kidney
transplantation and pre-emptive transplantation, protect the
patient/physician relationship, promote research and innovation,
and eliminate barriers for patient access to available treatment
options. For more information, visit www.aakp.org. Follow AAKP
on social media at @kidneypatient on Facebook and
@kidneypatients on Twitter.
About the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences:
Founded in 1824, the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences
(SMHS) was the first medical school in the nation's capital and is
the 11th oldest in the country. Working in the nation's capital
with integrity and resolve, the GW SMHS is committed to improving
the health and well-being of its local, national, and global
communities. Visit its website at smhs.gwu.edu.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jennifer
Duplessie
Marketing & Communications
Manager
jduplessie@aakp.org
(813)
400-2394
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SOURCE American Association of Kidney Patients