Federal Support for Kidney Disease Research, Prevention, and Transplant
ReMend is sharing some encouraging news for people living with chronic kidney disease (CKD), dialysis patients, transplant recipients, and those waiting for a kidney transplant.
On January 20, 2026, lawmakers released a new federal funding bill for FY2026 (part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026). This bill includes several big wins for kidney health — and it reflects strong advocacy from patients, caregivers, and the kidney community.
Here’s what this could mean for you:
1) More funding for kidney disease research
The bill includes $2.3 billion for NIDDK, a major NIH institute that supports kidney disease research.
✅ This helps fund new discoveries, better treatments, and stronger long-term care.
2) More support for CKD prevention and early detection
The bill includes $4.5 million for the CDC’s CKD Initiative, which focuses on kidney health strategies and prevention.
✅ The goal: help more people learn they have CKD earlier — when treatment can make the biggest difference.
3) Improvements to the transplant system
The bill includes added funding and changes to help modernize the U.S. transplant system.
✅ This may lead to:
better technology and transparency
improved accountability
progress toward fairer and more efficient waitlist processes
4) Stronger support for living donors
This bill includes the Honor Our Living Donors (HOLD) Act, which helps remove financial barriers for people who want to donate a kidney.
✅ It helps ensure that living donors can access reimbursement support more fairly.
5) More help through the Living Donor Assistance Program (NLDAC)
The bill increases funding for the National Living Donor Assistance Center (NLDAC) by $1 million.
✅ This could help more donors with costs related to donation, like travel and other approved expenses.
Why this matters
These changes support the kidney community in powerful ways:
💙 More research
💙 More prevention and education
💙 A better transplant system
💙 Less financial pressure on living donors
Advocacy works.
This is a great reminder that when patients and families speak up, lawmakers listen.
What happens next?
This bill still must be approved by both the House and Senate before going to the President to be signed into law.
We’ll keep our community updated as the bill moves forward.
We received this encouraging update from the National Kidney Foundation’s Lauren K. Drew, JD, Senior Director of Congressional Relations.
