The VA Million Veteran Program (MVP) is one of the world’s largest healthcare-focused biobanks and research programs.
What it does: MVP collects genetic samples, health information, and lifestyle data from volunteer Veterans to study how genes, lifestyle, and military experiences affect health and illness. The goal is to learn how to predict, treat, and prevent diseases more effectively.
Key features:
- Launched by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in 2011
- Participants provide a blood sample for genetic analysis and complete surveys about their health and lifestyle
- The data is linked to Veterans’ VA electronic health records, creating a rich dataset for research
- As of recent years, the program has enrolled over 1 million Veterans, making it one of the largest genomic databases in the world.
Research areas: The program studies a wide range of conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, mental health conditions like PTSD, cancer, kidney disease, and many others. It’s particularly valuable for understanding diseases that affect Veterans specifically.
Benefits:
- Helps researchers discover new treatments and preventive strategies
- Can lead to more personalized medicine approaches
- Participants may learn about their own health through the program
- Contributes to medical knowledge that benefits both Veterans and the general population
Veterans enrolled in VA healthcare can volunteer to participate in the program at VA medical centers nationwide.