FTC investigating DaVita and Fresenius

[barbara55109]

FTC looking into required noncompete clauses with medical staff and the tactics they use to prevent folks from trying home dialysis. The dominance in the US of the two companies does not promote lower prices through competition. Their contracts prevent Dr from working for newer companies.

politico.com/news/2024/07/1...

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

This was fascinating. I would love to see and better and simpler maching fo home hemo. My goodness, one clamp, one crimp, one wrong breath and you have an alarm. I swear mine gets possessed.

[PeaB4YouGo]

I never liked the idea that private companies were profiting on kidney patients who have no real choices in the matter. I'm glad that they weren't around during my mother's lifetime and during her bout with kidney dialysis.

[Darlenia]

Great report. It's high time to open the dialysis market up to new invention, new approaches, and more. The two giants in the field have locked things down for far too long.

[FelineFandom146]

Hello and thank you for sharing this valuable info. I'm not surprised by this. Physicians are no longer motivated by caring for patients. It is money that keeps them motivated (not all) and especially Nephrologists. Just think, it costs about $85,000 a year for dialysis, which they push us toward rather than offering a change in diet and nutrition as a third option, as they do in Europe. Talk about a conflict of interest.....

[allene7]

This is very informative. I hope that they get something done. Those two dialysis giants are a monopoly. I believe these 2 companies will fight to the bitter end to continue to be the giants and bullies they are. I believe in my opinion they do not want any further advancements in kidney care weather it be medications, another company and especially the bio artificial kidney which could put them out of business. Let's all hope something is done.

[TableTennisMama]

I’ve always questioned the wisdom of taking diet advice from a company that makes their money from dialysis services.

[barbara55109 in reply to TableTennisMama]

This is also why both firms have a history of not supporting transplant. Once someone goes on dialysis their CKD care seems to be taken over by the dialysis company. There is no financial gain in helping people get a transplant. People who are health industry savvy don't do research on their own. They rely on their Dr. The huge racial and income differences in the CKD population vs the transplant population shows extreme inequity. These companies profit off of keeping people on in center dialysis.