Kaiser Permanente launches ‘research bank’

DENVER — Kaiser Permanente has launched Kaiser Permanente Research Bank, a resource designed to help the organization understand how people’s health is affected by their genes, behaviors and the environment.

Kaiser Permanente members — in Washington D.C. and eight states, including 675,000 members in Colorado — who are 18 and older can participate in the research bank.

The bank allows researchers to use DNA and other health information voluntarily provided by members to study how genetic and environmental factors affect health, and look for new ways to diagnose, treat and prevent certain diseases. For example, the resource will allow researchers to study whether a person’s DNA influences how they respond to certain hypertension drugs, or how genetic and environmental factors influence such diseases as diabetes and cancer.

Kaiser’s goal is to collect data from 500,000 participants across Kaiser’s seven regions, which would make it one of the world’s largest and most diverse repositories of genetic, environmental, and health data. To date, more than 220,000 members from four geographic regions have participated in biobanking efforts.

“One of the ways the Kaiser Permanente Research Bank is unique from other efforts is that in addition to DNA samples, we ask our participants about behavioral and environmental factors,” said Sarah Rowell, associate director of the research bank. “That means we’re able to connect this information with data from the patient’s electronic medical record, which could allow us to make discoveries that just aren’t possible with other research resources.”

Environmental and behavioral factors that may have bearing on health include exposure to second-hand smoke, neighborhood violence, household financial security, access to fresh food, and proximity to sources of air, water or noise pollution.

Kaiser Permanente members who volunteer to participate will be asked to fill out a consent form granting access to their medical record, complete a brief health survey, and provide a blood sample. Participants’ information will be kept private, secure and confidential, and participation will not affect health-care coverage or become part of their medical record.

Kaiser Permanente members can go to kp.org/researchbank.

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