Three million invitations to the public will be delivered this fall as part of a significant new research initiative in the UK to find new ways to avoid, detect, and treat diseases.
The organisation said in a statement that up to five million people would eventually have the chance to participate in Our Future Health over the coming years, making it the largest-ever health research programme in the UK that is open to all UK adults.
Researchers are hoping to discover new methods to detect illnesses sooner, when they can be treated more easily, and more precisely predict who is at higher risk of diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and stroke by evaluating health information and blood tests from the millions of volunteers who sign up for the programme.
People who have historically been underrepresented in studies, such as those of black, Asian, and other ethnic origins and people with lower means, will also participate as volunteers.
Future input about their healthcare, including their risk of contracting common diseases, will be available to participants in the research programme based on their medical data and DNA analysis. Additionally, the results of the blood pressure and cholesterol tests will be provided to them.
The programme will send invitations to adults 18 and older living in West Yorkshire, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, and Greater London in cooperation with NHS DigiTrials. The group insisted that anybody could sign up to take part.
Volunteers will complete a consent form to participate in the research programme, grant the research team secure access to their personal health information, fill out a questionnaire, schedule an appointment to give a brief blood sample and have their measurements recorded, and provide their permission.