Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly: Knowledge is Power, Especially When it Comes to Kidney Health --- It Takes 2™ is Highlighting the Importance of Complete Testing for Kidney Disease

RIDGEFIELD, Conn., Dec. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --

BACKGROUND:
It Takes 2™ is a critical health initiative highlighting the importance of complete testing and early diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD), particularly among those who have type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure and are at greater risk.

Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/boehringer-ingelheim-eli-lilly/9361751-en-boehringer-ingelheim-eli-lilly-it-takes-2-kidney-disease

More than 35 million adults in the U.S. have CKD, yet as many as 90% of them are unaware of their condition. Moreover, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure are responsible for up to two-thirds of kidney disease cases. The It Takes 2™ initiative urges people to advocate for complete testing to help identify CKD and aim to reduce the potential for long-term complications.

For Thelma – a two-time kidney transplant recipient and mother of twin boys – it took nearly a decade to discover she had kidney disease, despite experiencing symptoms like fatigue and swelling for years. Thelma is a passionate advocate who joined the initiative in 2023 to help other patients see that knowledge is power and that "It Takes 2" people – a doctor and a patient – to help detect kidney disease and cardiovascular risk.

The initiative also includes messaging for doctors, developed in partnership with primary care physician and Director of UC Irvine's Program in Medical Education for the Latino Community, Dr. Charles Vega, citing clinical guidelines that underscore "It Takes 2" tests – the eGFR blood test and UACR urine test – to help get the full picture of kidney health. Along with the eGFR blood test, the UACR urine test may also help uncover the risk for cardiovascular disease.

A study showed that less than 20% of those at risk for CKD between 2013 and 2019 received complete testing. Therefore, it's critical to understand that one test is not enough to recognize the risks of kidney disease.

In this segment, Thelma and Dr. Charles Vega discuss the It Takes 2™ initiative, share who's at risk for developing CKD, and how partnering with your doctor to receive complete testing may help reduce the potential for serious complications in the future.

For more information, please visit: TestYourKidneys.com

MORE ABOUT DR.VEGA AND THELMA:

Dr. Charles Vega: Charles Vega, M.D., is a family medicine specialist and Director of UC Irvine's Program in Medical Education for the Latino Community. Throughout his 27-year residency at UCI's Family Health Center, the largest safety-net clinic in Orange County, he's used his extensive knowledge and experience to shape the next generation of medical students and residents. Dr. Vega has won numerous awards in recognition of his work in the development of training programs that provide quality, compassionate care to underserved populations.

Thelma: Thelma is a two-time kidney transplant recipient living with chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes. Despite experiencing symptoms at just 12 years old, it took nearly a decade for Thelma to receive her IgA Nephropathy (Nephrotic Syndrome) and chronic kidney disease diagnoses in 1993 and 1998. Today, she is a passionate advocate for all people with kidney disease, especially Black and Brown Americans and those from financially disadvantaged backgrounds, fighting for equal access to quality healthcare and transplants for all with the National Kidney Foundation.

Produced for: Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly

CONTACT: Jillian Parker, [email protected]

SOURCE Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly