The European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA) announces a non-exclusive collaboration with the European Society of Pediatric Nephrology (ESPN). Both societies focus on the care of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), promote clinical research in the field of nephrology and have similar interests in basic research. Of course, children with CKD are not just 'little adults' with CKD, and therapies cannot simply be extrapolated, instead special treatments and care are needed for pediatric patients. Nevertheless, there is a large intersection of clinical and scientific interests between both societies, and the collaboration will use synergies and promote kidney health in Europe, throughout all ages. Children and adolescents with CKD one day become adults with CKD.

"By signing the collaboration agreement, ERA-EDTA emphasizes the importance of pediatric nephrology. ESPN´s aim to provide state-of-the-art care for children and adolescents with CKD in all European countries is strongly supported by the ERA-EDTA", explains ERA-EDTA president, Prof. Raymond Vanholder, Ghent, Belgium. "Another focus of the collaboration lies in joint scientific projects and publications." ERA-EDTA now already supports a pediatric section within its Registry; furthermore one of the six research networks supported recently by ERA-EDTA was devoted to children.

The two organizations will work together on various topics, including inherited diseases as well as the care for patients with lifelong illnesses like chronic renal glomerulopathies. The ERA-EDTA will host a track on pediatric nephrology at its annual congress and promote various scientific meetings. Vice versa, the ERA-EDTA will be present at the annual ESPN congress with a symposium and guidelines on pediatric nephrology and renal replacement therapies will be published under the ERA-EDTA umbrella and follow the rules of the European Renal Best Practice (ERBP), finally the official ERA-EDTA ERBP guidelines will contain pediatric sections.

"Pediatric nephrology is a rather small, but very important and highly specialized field. Several adult renal diseases have their origin in childhood and the prevention of renal function loss has to start immediately from the first symptoms as they appear in young age. We are very happy with the ERA-EDTA collaboration, because it may encourage this early prevention", comments Prof. Rosanna Coppo, Secretary General of the ESPN, Turin, Italy. Thanks to this scientific network the care of renal disease is covered from the first months to the last years of human life with a continuity of concerted activities.