Stored samples and future research

Doctors already know about some of the causes of kidney disease and heart disease. Scientists also think that other factors might play a part, but there is limited understanding of how they work.

In particular, we have limited knowledge about the effect of genes/DNA on the risks of kidney disease, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and a range of other health problems that might be linked to these diseases. These include diseases that your doctor might refer to as metabolic, cardiovascular, infectious, or malignant diseases.

Please note that neither you nor your doctors will be given any information from the analysis of blood and urine samples, including any details of your genes/DNA. In particular, having these samples stored and tested will not affect your ability to get medical or life insurance at any time.

If we have your permission to keep your samples, then in the years to come we might be able to make new scientific discoveries using both the information collected in the study and by defrosting and analysing your samples (including testing some or all of your genes/DNA).

With your consent, the blood and/ or urine samples will be stored in a freezer overseen by the University of Oxford for up to 30 years after the study is completed, and will then be destroyed. For details on how your blood and urine samples will be stored please see the accompanying Data Protection Information Leaflet.