PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH A NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF KIDNEY AND UROLOGIC DISEASES - A REPORT OF THE NATIONAL KIDNEY AND UROLOGIC DISEASES ADVISORYBOARD

In 1990, the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Advisory Board publ ished a long-range plan entitled ''Window on the 21st Century.'' In th at plan, the board recommended that Congress establish a new National Institute of Kidney and Urologic Diseases (NIKUD). This recommendation stemmed from the board's appreciation that patient morbidity and mort ality from kidney and urologic diseases continue to increase and that a focused, well-funded research endeavor is the only real hope for rev ersing this trend. In 1992, the board established a special subcommitt ee to further consider the establishment of a NIKUD. The subcommittee sought input from a wide variety of extramural and intramural sources. American Urologic Association - a new devoted institute would provide coordination and expansion of basic research into kidney and urologic diseases, now fragmented and underfunded within multiple institutes. The research areas of kidney and urologic diseases are not currently r eceiving adequate or appropriate attention proportionate to their prev alence and their adverse impact upon society. The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) supports the establishment of a separate kidney and u rology institute. First and foremost, our primary interest is to obtai n more support for kidney and urologic diseases. Such research does no t receive the emphasis and prominence that it deserves at the National Institutes of Health. ASN believes that a separate institute would pr ovide increased focus for these diseases. National Kidney Foundation ( NKF) - the creation of such an institute is the highest priority of th e medical and lay constituencies of the NKF. American Foundation for U rological Disease - the creation of a new (kidney and urology) institu te within the National Institutes of Health is by far the most expedit ious way to centralize and advance the research efforts in this critic al field. Scope of a new NIKUD - NIKUD should develop an intramural an d extramural research program that focuses on all aspects of kidney an d urology diseases. NIKUD should be organized so that its activities a ddress issues in both pediatric and adult kidney and urologic diseases , including renal failure, transplantation, hypertension, diabetes, ca ncer, incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and male reproduction. NIKUD m ust foster research training and career development.