The Million Veterans Program (MVP) has reached 40% of its goal, registering more than 400,000 participants. Veterans who participate in the program donate blood for DNA extraction, which is linked to their health records. Created in 2012, MVP was expected to take 5 to 7 years to reach 1 million participants. Recently started research studies associated with MVP include cardiovascular risk factors, multisubstance use, pharmacogenomics of kidney disease, and metabolic conditions, among others.
“We are proud to see the progress being made in MVP, and we are confident the knowledge gained through this research will have a very tangible and positive impact on the health care that Veterans and all Americans receive,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald. “We applaud our Veterans participating in the program. The selfless sacrifice they are making will allow researchers to gain valuable, important information.”
Genomic programs such as MVP received a significant boost earlier this year with the announcement of President Obama’s Precision Medicine Initiative. Both the Precision Medicine Initiative and MVP are part of a larger effort to better tailor treatment to individual patients based in part on their genetics. “VA is thrilled to be working closely with the White House and other federal partners on the president’s Precision Medicine Initiative,” said VA Chief Research and Development Officer Timothy O’Leary, MD, PhD. “We are committed to making precision medicine a reality for veterans and the nation."
Federal Practitioner recently spoke with Robert Nussbaum, MD, of the University of California—San Francisco on the potential impact of MVP on genomics research. Watch the video below for more on the importance of MVP and its role in genomics.
