A national research program that focuses on making treatment more individualized for patients is recruiting participants in Central Texas.
The National Institutes of Health project aims to recruit one million participants from diverse backgrounds and with different health conditions to help improve detection and treatment of all patients.
On Monday, representatives from the All of Us Program were at Heritage Square in Waco signing up participants.
All of Us Research Program Tour Manager Steve Curran who is traveling for 48 weeks around the U.S. this year to promote the program said the research will help advance precision medicine.
"Hopefully we will be able to detect disease possibilities before you actually get them. We will be able to treat you individually as opposed to one size fits all,” Curran said.
Those interested must be 18 years or older and will be asked to share their health information, and provide urine and blood samples.
Jennifer Carney who visited the trailer at Heritage Square signed up as soon as she heard about the project.
"The need for individualized healthcare makes more sense to me and should to everyone, especially as they pointed out today they can already do individualized things for seeing or hearing," Carney said. "Why not for when you have the flu or other virus?”
Jerry Echols who participated in the project before Monday’s event said he would recommend others to do the same.
"I know about the importance of clinical trials to make progress in the cure and treatment for all diseases,” Echols said.
Baylor Scott and White Health Dr. Crawford Allison said the research, which will last for 10 years, will make a difference in the long run.
"People will benefit eventually down the road through new treatments, new medications, new diagnostic tools,” Allison said.
He added Baylor Scott & White is the only health care provider participating in Texas and it hopes to recruit 26,000 by 2023.
According to Allison, information provided is secure and compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability privacy rule.
You can sign up onlineor in person at Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest in Waco. In addition, you can sign up at the Fishpond and Hillcrest Bosque clinics.
In Bell County, residents can sign up in Temple at the Baylor Scott & White Center for Diagnostic Medicine and Baylor Scott & White Roney Bone & Joint Institute.
Participants will receive a $25 gift card after completing basic requirements.
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