Report of the International Society of Nephrology: North American Renal Disaster Response Task Force

Abstract

This article comprises a report from the North American Renal Disaster Response Task Force (RDRTF) set up in 2001 by the International Society of Nephrology Acute Renal Failure Commission. The conclusions of the report are (1) given the rarity of renal disasters in the Americas the North American and Latin American RDRTF's should be merged; (2) for the same reason, a single RDRFT Coordination Center for the whole world should be established and it is suggested that this be in Ghent, Belgium; (3) the collaborative group set up in Europe and involving the European RDRTF and Medecins Sans Frontiers be asked to extend their rapid response service to cover acute renal disasters in the Americas south of the United States-Mexico border; (4) the combined RDRTF for the Americas should establish a list of nephrologists, nurses, and technicians who are available to assist in the acute response to renal disasters; (5) the combined RDRTF of the Americas establish an inventory of equipment, machines, and methods for their transport that would be available in the event of a disaster; and (6) the RDRTF of the Americas should undertake a large-scale educational initiative on management of renal disasters.