End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is the last step of the renal disease outcome and many patients world-wide have the opportunity to live thanks to three modalities of renal replacement therapy (RRT) as hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and renal transplantation from cadaveric or living donors. Currently all RRT patients are listed in a regional, national or multinational Registry and followed in their outcome.
After the beginning of the first international renal registry, organised by the European Dialysis Transplant Association (EDTA) in 1964, many initiatives were taken throughout the world and other regional, national and multinational registries were organised. During the last ten years they grew separately and in some occasions data from many registries were used for comparisons. Interesting observations were published in the international literature but bias were present since findings from registries using different terminology and methodology were compared.
Taking into consideration this scientific bias, the chairmen of the renal registries decided to constitute an international group devoted to solve these problems.

During the 14th International Congress of Nephrology, in Sydney, Australia, (May 1997), this group held the first meeting of which a report has been published in Kidney International (52: 1422, 1997). Thereafter other meetings were held. At the Philadelphia meeting (Oct 1998) this group, decided to name International Federation of Renal Registries (IFRR). This web site approved in the Punta del Este Meeting, Uruguay (May 1999), illustrates the activities of the IFRR and we hope that this service will improve the communication and collaboration among regional, national and multinational renal registries.
During Toronto's meeting, it has been introduced this website and have been created the first workgroups. Every year there is an IFRR meeting during the ASN annual congress.
Considering that nobody is perfect, comments and suggestions are welcome.

• Administrative / planning purposes
• Advance in nephrology science
• Improvement of care quality for ESRD patients
• Substantial benefits for insurance payers and health care providers

1. Historical prospective studies.
2. Prospective observational studies.
3. Randomized clinical trials
4. Multicentre studies
5. Census studies