Study by Harvard Researcher in New England Journal of Medicine on Survival of Kidney Dialysis Patients to be Unveiled Thursday, July 31 7/30/2003
From: Heather Rosenker of Fleishman-Hillard, 202-828-8890; or Reese Stone of National Medical Association, 202-277-7282 (cell) News Advisory: -- Study Has Consequences for African Americans, Especially in South Carolina; Leader of National Medical Association to Express Concern, Denounce Medicare Policy EDITOR'S NOTE: Substantive information in this release is embargoed until 9 a.m. EDT Thursday, July 31. The president-elect of the National Medical Association (NMA), which represents African-American physicians, and Harvard University researcher, Ravi Thadhani, MD, MPH, will discuss Thursday, July 31, a new study being published the same day in the New England Journal of Medicine, one of the nation's leading medical journals. The study is of substantial importance for African Americans with chronic kidney disease, and also raises serious concerns about a federal health policy that targets one state, South Carolina. The Philadelphia event will be the first public comment on the study by the author and the NMA. The study conducted by Ravi Thadhani, MD, MPH, compared outcomes for 67,000 patients at more than 1,000 dialysis clinics across the nation who were treated with two different Vitamin D compounds for a serious disorder. Patients treated with a newer medication showed a three-year survival rate 16 percent higher than for patients treated with the other. For African-American patients, the difference was even more striking: a three-year survival rate 22 percent higher. This is good news for kidney patients, except in South Carolina. It is the only state in the nation where Medicare does not reimburse for the newer medication, and many dialysis patients have been forced to switch back to the older drug. The NMA regards the policy as discriminatory to all South Carolina patients -- but especially for African-Americans, who make up nearly three-quarters of the state's dialysis patients. On Thursday, the NMA will demand that the South Carolina policy be reversed. WHO: Randall W. Maxey, M. D., Ph.D., President-Elect, National Medical Association Ravi Thadhani, M.D., MPH, Assistant professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School Director of clinical research in nephrology, Massachusetts General Hospital WHAT: Briefing to physicians, then media, on a new Harvard study with substantial implications for federal health policy and African American patients with chronic kidney disease. WHERE: Four Seasons Hotel, North Ballroom, One Logan Square, Philadelphia, PA WHEN: Thursday, July 31, 2003 -- Presentation to physicians: 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., Adams Room (this event is open to media, but has a very detailed medical orientation). -- Media availability by Dr. Maxey and Dr. Thadhani: 9 a.m. - 9:20 a.m., North Ballroom |