VA’s Million Veteran Program is for every Veteran

VA’s Million Veteran Program (MVP) aims to improve Veteran health care for all, a goal that is achievable thanks to the participation of Veterans from all backgrounds. Diversity is crucial in medical research because health researchers can only make discoveries that apply to all populations—across race, gender and age—if all populations are included in the research.

Groundbreaking discoveries in diverse populations

While minority populations have historically been underrepresented in research, nearly 1-in-4 participants in MVP are minority Veterans. As more diverse Veterans join MVP, researchers will gain more opportunities to understand how military experiences and genetics affect overall health and wellness, helping to improve health care for all Veterans.

Thanks to the 970,000+ Veterans who have joined MVP, researchers have already discovered:

• A genetic screening test that can help predict prostate cancer in male Veterans from different racial and ethnic backgrounds
• Opportunities to improve breast cancer screenings and prevention among women of African descent, based on a genetic breast cancer risk assessment
• Evidence that diabetes may be a risk factor for dementia in white populations and for Alzheimer’s Disease in Black populations
• Parts of people’s genes related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that are different between people of African and European ancestry
• Data to help develop glaucoma genetic risk scores for diverse populations, including Black and Hispanic populations

MVP’s commitment to inclusivity

The Center for Minority Veterans (CMV) exists to ensure all Veterans receive equal service regardless of race, religion or gender. MVP is proud to work with CMV to reach diverse Veteran groups and encourage them to join MVP. Veterans from all backgrounds and communities deserve a seat at the table for medical research. Joining MVP is a step toward helping make a difference for Veterans like you.

Help future generations of Veterans by joining MVP

Health research is stronger when it includes everyone. MVP invites every Veteran to participate. By joining, you can help MVP study dozens of health conditions affecting Veterans, including:   

• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Heart health
• Tinnitus

MVP needs fewer than 30,000 more Veterans to reach the one-million Veteran milestone. Sign up today at MVP or call 866-441-6075 to make an appointment at a participating VA facility. You don’t need to receive your care at VA to participate.

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To read more stories about the Million Veteran Program, visit VA News and Information.