SC S0544

Declares Tuesday, April 29, 2025, as "APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease Awareness Day" in South Carolina

Encourages South Carolina residents to become better informed about kidney disease and APOL1-mediated kidney disease (AMKD), a rapidly progressive form that can lead to kidney failure

Encourages people with ancestry from Western and Central Africa to consider genetic testing for APOL1 gene mutations, as an estimated 13% of African Americans have variants in both copies of the gene

Highlights health disparities where Black people comprise 13% of the U.S. population but account for 35% of those with kidney failure, with kidney failure costing Medicare over $50 billion annually

Notes that individuals with APOL1 variants in both gene copies have a 1-in-5 chance of developing kidney disease, and no FDA-approved treatments currently exist for AMKD