TAMPA, Fla., October 23, 2006– The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP), a national non-profit organization dedicated to helping kidney patients and their loved ones live more productive lives, announced today that Vice President Stephen Fadem, MD, FACP, will present the Association’s public policy agenda at the upcoming Kidney Disease Economics Conference (KDEC) in Baltimore, Friday, Oct. 27 through Sunday, Oct. 29.

“AAKP has an ambitious public policy agenda, and we are going to work with patients and leaders in Washington, D.C. including Congress and Federal agencies, such as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reach those goals,” said AAKP Executive Director and CEO Kris Robinson.

At the top of AAKP’s agenda is QUALITY of healthcare – from early diagnosis of the CKD, to improved dialysis facility quality and better management of co-morbid conditions, to increasing transplant opportunities. AAKP believes public policy opportunities have never been greater and we must all participate in order to achieve our goals.

“AAKP has developed a public policy agenda covering a number of important areas for patients, including improving quality care issues, investigating organ donation incentives, supporting home dialysis as a regular standard of care and supporting lifetime coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for transplant patients.  I look forward to discussing these critical issues with the participants of the Kidney Disease Economics Conference,” said Dr. Fadem.

For more information on AAKP’s ambitious public policy agenda, visit the AAKP Web site at www.aakp.org, and sign up for the AAKP Public Policy Briefing Newsletter.  

For more information on the Kidney Disease Economics Conference, visit the KDEC Web site:  http://kdec.nephronline.com/