VA Cooperative Studies Program (CSP)
VA Cooperative Studies Program 585: Information for Veterans
Overview
What is the title of the project?
Gulf War Era Cohort and Biorepository
What is the Gulf War Era Cohort and Biorepository (GWECB)?
The Gulf War Era Cohort and Biorepository is a project to develop a group (cohort) of 30,000 U.S. Veterans who served in the military in 1990-1991 and to store a blood sample in a collection (biorepository). The purpose is to learn about the health conditions and related factors among this group through research studies.
Who is sponsoring the project?
Department of Veterans Affairs Cooperative Studies Program
Purpose
What is its purpose?
To better understand the conditions that are affecting Gulf War Era Veterans and to improve the healthcare of all Veterans.
Participation
Who is eligible to participate?
Any Veteran who was a member of the U.S. Uniformed Services during the 1990-1991 Gulf War Era is eligible to participate. It does not matter if you were active military or reserves, deployed to the Persian Gulf area or served elsewhere, or if you are a current or past user of services provided by VA. To participate, you must be located in one of the 48 contiguous United States (excluding Hawaii and Alaska).
Click this link for a list of current, upcoming, and past recruitment regions: CSP 585 News.
What is involved in participation?
After a phone conversation with an enrollment specialist at the Enrollment Coordinating Center about the project and participation requirements, your active involvement in this program will include:
- Signing and returning an informed consent form, HIPAA authorization form, and a document permitting release of your medical records
- Completing and returning a survey
- Providing a blood sample (about 2 teaspoons) at a time and location convenient for you
- Permitting access to your VA and non-VA medical records
- Providing access to your data and blood from other VA and non-VA research studies
- Allowing the use of your blood sample and project data in future research studies
- Being contacted by project staff for updated survey, provider, and contact information
- Being contacted about new studies that you might wish to join
Will it cost me anything to participate?
No, the costs of this project will be paid by the Department of Veterans Affairs. This means that the Department of Veterans Affairs is funding the research team. The researchers and VA will not profit financially from this project or any future research studies.
Will I be reimbursed for participating?
After you complete all of the project requirements, including completing and signing the required forms, completing the survey, and providing a blood sample, we will send you a $50 gift card as reimbursement for your time.
What are my rights as a participant?
Taking part in this project is voluntary. You may choose not to take part, or you may leave the project at any time. Leaving the project or choosing not to take part will not result in any penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. We will tell you about new information that may affect your willingness to stay in this project.
Contact Information
What if I have questions?
You have the right to ask, and have answered, any questions you may have about this project.
