BOSTON -The Million Veteran Program (MVP) is a trailblazing VA effort to consolidate genetic, military exposure, health, and lifestyle information together in one single database.
The database will be used by authorized researchers with VA, other federal health agencies, and academic institutions within the U.S., in a secure manner, to conduct health and wellness studies to determine which genetic variations are associated with particular health issues. By identifying gene-health connections, the program could consequentially advance disease screening, diagnosis, and prognosis and point the way toward more effective, personalized therapies.
Dr. J. Michael Gaziano, Director of The Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Information Center at the VA Boston Healthcare System is Co-Chairman of the MVP Study. VA Boston Healthcare System, host site and the first VA facility to enroll Veterans into this study starting in January of 2011 will be the site of a state-of-the-art biorepository now under construction at the Jamaica Plain campus. When completed, the biorepository will store the blood samples of the million Veterans from the participating VA sites across the country.
Veterans in the greater Lowell area can now enroll in the study by visiting the Lowell Community Based Outpatient Clinic located at 130 Marshall Road. Veterans can stop by any Wednesday between 8:00am and 1:30pm and meet with a study representative. Please call 978-671-9123 prior to your visit.
For more information about MVP, call 866-441-6075 or visit www.research.va.gov/MVP for information on the safeguards in place to protect the privacy and confidentiality of those Veterans who take part.