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HEALTHCARE EDUCATION HEALTHCARE EDUCATION HEALTHCARE EDUCATION

Towards Precision Medicine:

Why You Should Sign Up for the NIH “All of Us” Research Program

How can you be a part of discovering a Us Research Program will quality and integrity. someone else. The genes from your par-
cure for cancer and diabetes? I learned expand the cohort of partic- All eligible adults over ents and the environment you live in can
just how when I attended a seminar on ipants such that findings 18, living anywhere in influence your health, symptoms you
“NIH All of Us Research”, on June 23, could help people of the the United States can have, and how well treatments might
2018, sponsored by the Black Nurses same race, ethnic group, or join the All of Us work. Precision medicine is based on the
Association-Miami Chapter (BNA- sex, as represented partici- Research Program. One premise that medicine is not “one-size-
Miami). pants. does not need health fits-all”. Crucial elements of precision
BNA Miami President, Patrise Tyson, The realization that most insurance to join, nor be medicine include multi-omics analysis:
shared the benefits of signing up with all medical treatments have a U.S. citizen or perma- pharmacogenomics, how genes affect a
the attendees. From the projected one been designed for the “aver- nent resident. One will person’s response to drugs, proteomics,
million cohort for the longitudinal study, age patient”, fuels the need a computer or study of proteins, metabolomics, study of
data will be collected on molecular, urgency in expanding the smart phone and an e- metabolites, genomics, study of
genomic, cellular, clinical, behavioral, cohort of research partici- mail address to sign up. deoxynucleic acid (DNA), and ribonu-
physiological, and, environmental pants to include diverse BY LINDA A. SIMUNEK, The participant can cleic acid (RNA), and, inter-professional
parameters from voluntary research par- ethnic groups. To this end, RN, PHD, JD share All of Us Research collaboration among scientists, physi-
ticipants. The research study will last at nurses participating in the Program information cians, nurses, bioethicists, privacy and
least 10 years through 2025. The collect- seminar are exploring the formation of a with his/her health care provider. To sign civil liberty advocates, technologists,
ed data will arm health professionals in Federation of Ethnic Nursing up, visit the All of Us Research Program data analysts, radiologists and other
making disease risk assessment, disease Associations (FENA), to be housed at the website www. JoinAllofUs.org, or, down- members of the health care team.
mechanisms and therapeutic strategies RN-BSN Program of Broward College. load the All of Us Research Program app Please sign up now to participate in the
through “precision medicine”, an emerg- The objective is to help spread the word (iOS version, Android version), or, All of Us NIH Research Program.
ing approach for disease treatment and on the necessity of widespread participa- through a health care organization affili-
prevention that takes into account indi- tion in the All of Us Research Program. ated with the All of Us Research A member of the Broward County Bar, Dr.
vidual variability in genes, environment, FENA is envisioned to engage in patient Program. Linda Simunek is Associate Dean and
and lifestyle for each person. empowerment, education about the legal The All of Us Research Program will Professor of Nursing at the RN-BSN
(www.whitehouse.gov/precisionmedi- and ethical considerations in research advance “precision medicine,” a model Program of Broward College and has served
cine), (https;//ghr.nlm.nih.gov). The goal participation, transparency, respect for which revolves around the idea that a on the Florida Board of Nursing. She may
of the initiative is to understand why participant preferences, data sharing, condition, like cancer or heart disease, in be reached at lsimunek@broward.edu or
people get sick or stay healthy. The All of access, and use, and, protection of data you is not necessarily the same as in (954) 201-6932.

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