Participation

Why should I join All of Us Research Program?

If you join, you will be contributing to research that may improve health for everyone. Our goal is to understand why people get sick or stay healthy. Here are some examples of what researchers might be able to discover from their research:

• Better tests to see if people are sick or are at risk of getting sick
• Better mobile apps to encourage healthy habits
• Better medicine or information about how much of a medicine is right for each person
• Also, you will be able to see your All of Us Research Program information, which might be interesting to you. You may also learn about your health. If you choose, you will be able to share your All of Us information with your health care provider.

What will you ask me to do?

If you decide to join the All of Us Research Program, we will ask you to share different kinds of information. We will ask you basic information like your name and where you live. We will ask you questions about your health, family, home, and work. If you have an electronic health record, we will ask for access. We will ask you to go to a Spectrum Health clinic for a free appointment with us. At this appointment, we will collect basic physical measurements, including your height, weight, and hip and waist measurements, as well as your blood pressure and heart rate. We might ask you to give samples, like blood or urine, at the appointment.

Do I have to give my social security information?

No. We may ask for your Social Security number to help match your information to other information, but you do not have to give it to us.

Is the All of Us Research Program a one-time activity or a long-term activity?

Our plan is that the All of Us Research Program will last for at least 10 years. We hope you will stay involved over time. If you do, researchers may better understand what causes changes in our health and what we can do about it. If you join, you can withdraw (quit) at any time for any reason without penalty.

How often will I hear from the All of Us Research Program?

We will offer regular updates about the All of Us Research Program. You can choose if you would like to get these updates. If you choose to get the updates, you can tell us how often and in what way you would like for us to contact you.

We may contact you to answer surveys from time to time. You can choose to answer the surveys or not. We may contact you to schedule an appointment to provide samples and have measurements.

Does it cost anything to join?

Joining the All of Us Research Program is free and won’t cost you anything more than a little bit of your time. All activities are free. There are no costs to you or your insurance. If you use the All of Us Research Program app on your smartphone, it will count against your data on your phone plan. You can set the app to use only Wi-Fi to avoid this.

Will I be paid?

Once you complete the clinic to provide blood and urine samples, you will receive a $25 gift card to compensate you for your time. Your information will help researchers to make discoveries. If any of their research leads to new tests, drugs, or other commercial products, you will not get any profits. These inventions will be the property of the researchers who develop them.

Do I need to have health insurance to join the All of Us Research Program?

No. All of Us is a research program. It is not medical care. You do not have to have health insurance to join.

Will my insurance know if I join the All of Us Research Program?

We will not let your insurance know if you join unless you are injured. We do not expect you to be injured. Answering surveys, being measured, and giving samples are very safe activities. They are unlikely to cause injury. But if you are injured because of the All of Us Research Program and you have insurance, your insurance may be billed.

Can I sign up my children?

Right now, only people who are 18 or older can join the All of Us Research Program. Children will be able to join in the future.

Do I have to be a U.S. citizen or have permanent resident status to join the All of Us Research Program?

Anyone who lives in the United States can join the All of Us Research Program. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Will you share my residency status with the government?

We will not ask you about your residency status. We cannot share your residency status, because we will not know it.

If I plan to move out of the country, can I still participate in the All of Us Research Program?

Only people who currently live in the United States can join. As long as you are not planning to move to another country soon, you are welcome to sign up.

All of Us is a service mark of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). 

The All of Us platform is for research only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.