Logo Wartepatient
Wartepatient
wartepatient icon

What does dialysis patient mean?

Over 75% of waiting patients are dialysis patients.

Advanced kidney disease (CKD), i.e. kidney failure, is treated with dialysis. These therapeutic procedures, so-called “Kidney replacement procedures” are now offered almost as synonyms all over the world.

There is almost not a single country in the world that does not offer this to its population.

The story begins very early with the invention. But it only achieved its breakthrough through the cost-effective production of the capillaries and cost reduction. Here is an overview of the history of dialysis in the USA.

With this therapy you can achieve a maximum of 30% effectiveness of the normal kidney performance of a healthy person: “Why? See your blood laboratory values ​​taken after dialysis…” -> Glomerular filtration rate (GfR) “…and compare it with reference values ​​of a healthy person.”

Of course, this therapy does not replace all the functions of the kidney, which are in constant action in the human body, considering: “Three times a week for a maximum of 5.5 hours, for example, in Germany a patient is admitted for dialysis or the health insurance companies cover the costs of HD therapy.”

This therapy cannot completely replace the endocrine functions of a native kidney: due to a lack of non-stop regulation, accompanying diseases then arise over time. (Which in turn incurs additional costs for the health insurance companies.)

Dialysepatient Hämodialyse

There are around 100,000 patients across Germany, less than 7% are on the waiting list. Why?

wartepatient icon

What does dialysis patient mean?

Over 75% of waiting patients are dialysis patients.

Advanced kidney disease (CKD), i.e. kidney failure, is treated with dialysis. These therapeutic procedures, so-called “Kidney replacement procedures” are now offered almost as synonyms all over the world.

Dialysepatient Hämodialyse

There are around 100,000 patients across Germany, less than 7% are on the waiting list. Why?

There is almost not a single country in the world that does not offer this to its population. The story begins very early with the invention. But it only achieved its breakthrough through the cost-effective production of the capillaries and cost reduction. Here is an overview of the history of dialysis in the USA.

With this therapy you achieve a maximum of 30% effectiveness of the normal kidney performance of a healthy person: “Why? See your blood laboratory values ​​taken after dialysis.” ->Glomerular filtration rate (GfR) “…and compare it with reference values ​​of a healthy person.”

Of course, this therapy does not replace all the functions of the kidney, which are in constant action in the human body, considering: “Three times a week for a maximum of 5.5 hours, for example, in Germany a patient is admitted for dialysis or the health insurance companies cover the costs of HD therapy.”

This therapy cannot completely replace the endocrine functions of a native kidney: due to a lack of non-stop regulation, accompanying diseases arise over time (which in turn incurs additional costs for the health insurance companies.)

wartepatient icon

Dialysis patient

Over 75% of waiting patients are dialysis patients.

Advanced kidney disease (CKD), i.e. kidney failure, is treated with dialysis. These therapeutic procedures, so-called “Kidney replacement procedures” are now offered almost as synonyms all over the world.

Dialysepatient Hämodialyse

There are around 100,000 patients across Germany, less than 7% are on the waiting list. Why?

There is almost not a single country in the world that does not offer this to its population. The story begins very early with the invention. But it only achieved its breakthrough through the cost-effective production of the capillaries and cost reduction. Here is an overview of the history of dialysis in the USA.

With this therapy you achieve a maximum of 30% effectiveness of the normal kidney performance of a healthy person: “Why? See your blood laboratory values ​​taken after dialysis.” ->Glomerular filtration rate (GfR) “…and compare it with reference values ​​of a healthy person.”

Of course, this therapy does not replace all the functions of the kidney, which are in constant action in the human body, considering: “Three times a week for a maximum of 5.5 hours, for example, in Germany a patient is admitted for dialysis or the health insurance companies cover the costs of HD therapy.”

This therapy cannot completely replace the endocrine functions of a native kidney: due to a lack of non-stop regulation, accompanying diseases arise over time (which in turn causes additional costs for the health insurance companies.)

Over time, this deficiency leads to immense poisoning of the patient. Consequently, one can safely call it a therapy that slowly accompanies death and at the same time makes the economy flourish.

Because the hemodialysis technique in so-called dialysis centers, which is professionally performed by nurses, has not undergone significant innovation (but has matured in terms of process optimization) since the beginnings of hemodialysis therapy in the 1970s, when it was offered to the masses in Germany, if one considers the…

  1. Machine size (Image 1)
  2. Capillary technology (Image 2)
  3. Osmosis system: The fluid exchange system (osmosis system + dialysis fluid) is exactly the same as back then, except process-optimized.

…in comparison with other medical innovations in the industry and products, e.g. the pacemaker, implantable artificial heart and defibrillator. > implantable defibrillator.Why is there no innovation?

In comparison -innovation-, hemodialysis technology is at least half a century behind or at a standstill.

Dialysemaschine Größenvergleich
dialysatoren - Kapillare

(Image 2): The dialyzers have only been improved in their clearance ability, otherwise they have remained the same.

Dialysemaschine Größenvergleich

(Image 1): The size of the dialysis machines has remained unchanged for almost 50 years.

dialysatoren - Kapillare

(Image 2): The dialyzers have only been improved in their clearance ability, otherwise they have remained the same.

Over time, this deficiency leads to immense poisoning of the patient. Consequently, one can safely call it a therapy that slowly accompanies death and at the same time makes the economy flourish.

Denn die Hämodialyse-Technik in sogenannten Dialysezentren, die professionell von Pflegekräften durchgeführt wird, ist nicht großartig innovativ weiterentwickelt (aber prozessoptimiert ausgereift) seit den Anfängen der Hämodialysetherapie der 1970er-Jahre, als es in Deutschland der Masse angeboten wurde, wenn man die…

  1. Machine size (Image 1)
  2. Capillary technology (Image 2)
  3. Osmosis system: The liquid exchange system (osmosis system) is exactly the same as back then, except process-optimized.

…in comparison with other medical innovations in the industry and products, e.g. the defibrillator. -> implantable defibrillator.

In comparison, Hemodialysis technology is at least half a century behind.

probleme search

Why, why is that?

Because here only a small number of DAX-listed companies (some for over 20 years in a row) dictate supply and demand, dominate the market, so to speak, and do not promote and develop innovation. That it is highly economized is confirmed by countless professionals here: “The kidney patient: Between well-being and economization” and here: “Home hemodialysis – Current aspects and changes in renal replacement therapy.”

All the industries (the 12 largest dialysis therapy providers worldwide with sales of 110 billion dollars) that have formed around these therapeutic procedures are also dictated or managed by you. There is, so to speak, no competition when only three large HD dialysis machine manufacturers worldwide share the market among themselves. See these statistics or Google – search for Fresenius, Baxter and Braun in combination with dialysis. There are other manufacturers, but they are not as successful as the three FBBs.

Therefore, there is no need for innovation, or rather, existing companies can suppress it (buy it up and then shelve it) if new research or innovations emerge in this area.

probleme search

Why does this fact not bother anyone?

It is of course great that this therapy procedure has been optimized to such an extent that it is offered almost everywhere in the world, so that it does not even restrict the freedom of travel, as some argue.

Of course, the dialysis patient is subject to restrictions during this therapy period: food and drink restrictions (Figure 3 and Figure 4), which would absolutely not be recommended for a healthy person.

You can find these in abundance on the internet. (Many of these are offered “on a foundation basis” (information provided in glossy brochures, e.g. here, here or here) by third-party suppliers/even by the accessory companies of the above-mentioned dialysis therapy providers with advertising slogans such as “Made to measure, not mass-produced“! (Win-win and you can also call it a “self-satisfying do-gooder show”!).

It is even process-optimized to the point that almost no medical professional is needed if the patient has stable cardiovascular system and is self-determinedly active: it can be carried out at home if the options are available.

probleme search

Then what's the downside?

Since this therapy is also offered to older patients (over 80%) who do not have the opportunity to receive a kidney transplant, it does not have a high sentiment value in society.

Many people with kidney disease who are dependent on dialysis at a late age due to their secondary illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure are absolutely satisfied and grateful that this therapy even exists. Understandable.

This becomes particularly clear in the fact that in some social networks (Facebook with 1000-5000 subscribers) they actively glorify this process optimization and portray transplant medicine poorly, with arguments that scare people about the development of tumors through immunosuppression.

Some of these networks have people with fake accounts who do lobbying and mislead people.

The young patients suffer from this gratitude of the excessive passion for technology, some of whom have been stuck on this therapy for years (8-11 years waiting time on dialysis before a kidney transplant occurs).

Because of this gratitude, this topic has no sentimental value, and satisfaction with what the DAX companies are offering, and the unwillingness to increase the number of organ donations in health policy, also makes innovation or change in this area more difficult.

(Picture 3): Food restriction during dialysis.

(Picture 4): Drinking quantity restriction during dialysis.

probleme search

What happens to children with chronic kidney disease?

Children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Germany who come to dialysis therapy are first introduced to this therapy procedure in a way that is as “child-friendly” as possible due to the shortage of organs (waiting time also applies to children, but with additional bonus points* at Eurotransplant (What is that?), which move them up the waiting list, probably 1-2 years).

However, these bonus points, which a chronically ill child (legally up to 18 years old) receives on dialysis to obtain a kidney transplant (KT), expire as soon as they turn 18 and they have to wait again like an adult.

This means that these pediatric dialysis centers try to make the suffering of these children on the waiting list as bearable as possible. Many people play a role in these pediatric dialysis centers, such as educators, sociologists, psychologists, etc., providing support on an educational, social, and psychological level.

Some children fortunate enough to receive an organ donation offer from relatives or parents (even before the start of therapy) are spared the suffering and social consequences of long-term (7-10 years) dialysis in Germany as early as possible. Elsewhere in Europe, for example in Spain, this economic dimension of a segment of the healthcare system is not feasible, and such an intolerable “mistreatment” (see the dialysis procedure) of sometimes traumatized, seriously ill children is not tolerated, as policymakers take action against it (see data and facts).

*Bonus point: Heidelberg University Hospital, “Kidney transplantation in children
and adolescents” Page 3, column 4, middle

A chronically ill child is picked up from the ward.
probleme search

Why is the other possible in Spain?

In Spain there is no “long-term dialysis” (Germany: 8-11 years until a kidney transplant). Average waiting time in Spain: 8-12 months. See data and facts. There are simply no accompanying illnesses caused by long-term dialysis to the extent that they are in Germany. (Except for patients for whom organ transplantation is medically advised against)

There, the earliest possible transplant brings a win-win situation. More is being done for people instead of for the economy, which is why the objection regulation in transplant medicine is practiced there.

Spain’s health policy in transplant medicine is a prime example of humanity!

probleme search

Is one ethical and the other not?

Suffering is a relative feeling. Politicians may perceive this based on non-existent statistics and justify it according to populist rules and principles of their parties, and only then do something about this grievance (see data and facts) or not.

But how do you justify three dead waiting patients every day in Germany based on the statement of freedom and the right to self-determination in causa contradiction regulations in transplant medicine, where there are none?

THE WARTEPATIENT