HELP CHANGE THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE WITH THE ALL OF US RESEARCH PROGRAM

This is a sponsored post in partnership with All of Us Pennsylvania  and ​The Motherhood​.

As an individual, I worry enough about my own health, but as a wife and a mother, my worry increases. My family relies on quality healthcare, regular well exams, and a healthy lifestyle, but I felt like the future of our health is out of our control. I hate feeling helpless, but now I can actually do something...and you can, too!  You can help change the future of medicine by participating in the All of Us Research Program!

The All of Us Research Program is a  nationwide research program, run by the National Institutes of Health. They are working hard to create the largest health database EVER. The goal of the All of Us Research Program is to get one million (or more) U.S. participants so they can find out how diseases is prevented and treated based on differences in lifestyle, genetics, and environment. Their mission is to speed up health research and medical breakthroughs.

By participating, you can potentially improve your health, the health of others, and even help create a healthier future for generations to come.  Participating is simple, and the information gathered will help researchers better understand health and disease.

All of Us Pennsylvania is a partner of the All of Us Research Program for the Western Pennsylvania Region. All of Us Pennsylvania is the University of Pittsburgh’s program. The university was awarded $4.2 million for the first year, and has the potential to receive up to $67 million over 5 years. The money will help them build the infrastructure needed to launch the program.

All of Us Pennsylvania plans to enroll 120,000 patients in the region, and they hope to fund pilot studies using the collected data to advance precision medicine care. Precision (or personalized) medicine is healthcare based on the individual, taking important factors into consideration, such as genetics, family health history, where you live, and what you do.

So far, All of Us Pennsylvania has enrolled more than 8,000 participants. If you’re in the Greater Pittsburgh area, you can easily help change the future of medicine by signing up and scheduling a free appointment! Anyone interested can go to https://joinallofuspa.org for more information,​ or call 412-383-2737 with any questions or to schedule a free appointment. Participants will get compensated $25 for participation in the program.

Scheduling is EASY!

1. Schedule your visit: Make an appointment to visit one of the several convenient locations! Schedule your appointment online or call 412-383-2737 to schedule. (Find the nearest location HERE.)
2. Enroll in the program: Complete the online consent form, answer health surveys, and share your health data. You can also wait to complete the process at an enrollment center.
3. Participate in the program: Attend your scheduled study visit at no charge. At this visit, your physical measurements will be taken, and you will give blood and urine samples.
4. Contribute to the program: Your health information will be added to the All of Us Research Program database, so researchers can use the data in health studies.

Contributing your information to the program is safe, and the All of Us Research Program values your privacy. Your name will be removed, along with other direct identifiers, like social security numbers. This information will be replaced with  a code. There is a master list linking codes to names, but the list is kept secure, and very few people have access to it.

Locations of Centers:

Aiken Medical Building, Pittsburgh, PA 15232

UPMC Hampton, Allison Park, PA 15101

St Clair Commons Bethel Park, Pittsburgh, PA 15241

UPMC Montefiore, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

UPMC University Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

UPMC Urgent Care Monroeville, Monroeville, PA 15146

UPMC Station Medical Center, Altoona, PA 16602

Participating in the All of Us Research Program is such a simple way to help change the future of medicine! Can you help?