People who participate in the research will be offered a £10 voucher and the option to receive information about their risk of some diseases
Most people in the UK can get a £10 voucher and the chance to learn more about their own health, thanks to a Government-funded scheme. Our Future Health, the UK’s largest health research programme, is looking for up to five million people to participate in the research, which aims to help prevent and treat diseases earlier.
To date, over 2,150,000 people are already taking part, but many people might not know about the scheme until they receive an invitation letter from the NHS. Everyone aged 18 and over living in the UK is eligible to take part in the research being run by the Our Future Health charity in partnership with the NHS and other organisations.
The charity says: “Discoveries made through Our Future Health could lead to new ways to predict, prevent and detect diseases earlier in life when they can be treated more easily, including diseases such as dementia, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.”
By participating in the research, you could learn more about the risk of certain diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease. The Participant Information sheet explains: “As Our Future Health is a research programme, your information will not be used in the diagnosis or treatment of disease, and you will not automatically receive personal feedback about your samples, DNA, or other data.
“But in the future, we will get in touch to ask if you would like to receive personal feedback from your samples, DNA or other data.
“You might learn new information about your health or risk of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease from this feedback. We will always give you more information and the chance to ask questions before you make your decision, and you can say yes or no.”
If you opt to join but change your mind you can withdraw at any time. If you wish to take part, you will be asked to read and sign a consent form, fill in a questionnaire about your health and lifestyle, and book an appointment to provide a blood sample.
After completing the steps, you will be offered a £10 voucher that you can spend in places such as supermarkets and high-street shops, or you can donate it to the Our Future Health charity. More information is available on Our Future Health’s website.