Fiona Loud A delayed kidney disease diagnosis can affect far more than treatment. It can leave people with little time to understand what is happening, prepare for what comes next, or make informed choices about their care. For ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group member Fiona Loud (UK), the warning signs stretched back years. Kidney damage was...
World Kidney Day (WKD) launched its 2027 campaign, “Kidneys, heart, and metabolism: the core of your health,” on September 14. The campaign highlights the importance of caring for kidney, cardiovascular, and metabolic health as interconnected parts of overall health. Get creative This year, WKD invites everyone to take part in the new “Kidney Shape Challenge”: find, create, or capture something kidney-shaped in...
Raising kidney health’s profile on the global agenda Dear Colleagues and Friends, Kidney health continues to gain ground on the global health agenda, and ISN activities at the 81st United Nations General Assembly gave us another important opportunity to build on that progress. During the event, the ISN helped lead the discussion on moving beyond single-disease approaches...
Manvir Victor (left) and Bill Wang From navigating diagnosis and treatment to the practical and emotional challenges of everyday life, members of the ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group shared what it means to live with kidney disease. Challenging "systemic blindness" in kidney care For Bill Wang in Hong Kong, one of the defining challenges...
You are invited to participate in an important anonymous online survey, “International travel for organ transplantation: surveying professionals’ experience,”* led by Dominique Martin and Georgina Irish from Deakin University and the Adelaide University, Australia. The survey should take 5-15 minutes to complete and is available in 13 languages. Complete the survey Repeated every two years to track...
Brussels, September 23, 2026 At the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81), the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) continued to drive on how to turn the WHO kidney health resolution into action, working with partners across disease areas and linking kidney health to the broader agenda of stronger, more sustainable health systems...
At the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81), the ISN will continue to drive discussion on how to turn the WHO kidney health resolution into action, linking kidney health to stronger, more sustainable health systems for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) as countries look ahead to the 2027 United Nations High-level meeting on universal health coverage (UHC). On September 22, the ISN and Devex will...
ISN advocacy drives global momentum for kidney care Dear Colleagues and Friends, Just over a year ago, the adoption of the WHO kidney health resolution marked a historic step forward, recognizing kidney disease as a priority within the noncommunicable disease agenda. This anniversary is a reminder that our work now lies in translating that recognition into...
Advocating for national kidney health action just got easier. The ISN has developed a one-page tool for advocating with government and health system stakeholders showing how they can support the national implementation of the WHO kidney health resolution. Download and share the one-pager Based on an ISN-led policy paper published in The Lancet in May 2026, the one-pager outlines five practical steps countries can take to move from commitment to implementation,...
“By connecting policy, primary care, and health financing, we can help translate global commitments [for kidney health] into practical action and support progress in the lead-up to the 2027 UN High-Level Meeting on UHC.” Marcello Tonelli, co-author of the paper A new health policy paper published in The Lancet, led by ISN President Marcello Tonelli along with an international group of experts, sets out a step-by-step framework to help...
ISN advances global action on kidney health at WHA79, one year after landmark WHO resolution May 23, 2026 The International Society of Nephrology (ISN) contributed to key discussions on kidney health during the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA79) in Geneva, bringing together policymakers, clinicians, and global health partners to examine how recent global commitments can be translated...
As part of its broader engagement during the World Health Assembly (WHA79) in Geneva from May 18 to 23, 2026, the ISN will contribute to two side events on May 20, including an important milestone: the first official WHA side event for which the society was invited to submit a proposal. Taking place just days before the first anniversary of the WHO kidney health resolution's approval, discussions at WHA79 will build on...
April 30, 2026 The ISN welcomes the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) launch of a dedicated kidney disease webpage, a significant step in recognizing kidney disease as a major noncommunicable disease (NCD) and global health priority. This development highlights kidney disease’s rightful place on the global health agenda and provides an important reference point for raising awareness...
How will you support kidney health and sustainability this World Kidney Day? With kidney disease affecting millions worldwide and environmental factors such as heat, pollution, and access to clean water increasingly shaping risk, this year’s theme, “Kidney Health for All: Caring for People, Protecting the Planet,” calls for prevention, early detection, and care models that are people-centered and planet-conscious. Read...
Ready for global advocacy events? GCCH Webinar, WKD, WHA79 & more Welcome to the first 2026 edition of Bridging the Gaps. We begin the year with real momentum. Kidney health is now firmly embedded in global policy, following the adoption of the WHO kidney health resolution and the 2025 UN political declaration on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). These...
What does it take to move from policy commitments to real improvements in kidney care, and how can those lessons be applied across regions? On March 28, 2026*, the Professor Donal O'Donoghue Global Kidney Policy Forum (PDOGKPF) will bring together policymakers, clinical leaders, and advocates to explore practical ways to strengthen kidney care systems in the ISN North and East Asia region, focusing on approaches that translate into measurable progress for patients. Held at the WCN'26 in...
How can the UN political declaration commitments translate into real change for people living with circulatory conditions? The 2025 United Nations political declaration on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) sets out renewed global commitments to tackle premature deaths from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and other NCDs. Kidney disease is both a consequence and a driver of circulatory...
The ISN and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, formalizing a long-term collaboration to strengthen global action on diabetes-related kidney disease. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease, and together these conditions affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Recognizing their shared risk factors and growing global burden, the ISN and the IDF...
December 16, 2025 The International Society of Nephrology (ISN) welcomes the adoption of the political declaration from the fourth high-level meeting of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and the promotion of mental health and well-being, held on September 25, 2025. The declaration sets out renewed commitments...
ISN advocacy initiatives to turn global kidney pledges into action As we approach the end of 2025, I am proud to reflect on what has been a truly remarkable year for the global kidney community. Historic milestones marked the year, elevating kidney health on the world stage, particularly with the adoption of the first-ever WHO...
