Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center (ERIC)
Vietnam-Era Twin Registry - For Investigators
The VET Registry is open for access to qualified VA, VA-affiliated, and non-VA investigators working for not-for-profit, academic and research centers. Fees are based on services performed by the VET Registry to help you complete your study.
Review a detailed list of VET Registry characteristics including size, response rate, data collected, and more.
5 Steps to Accessing the VET Registry
- Email VET Registry staff your intended research proposal to vetr@va.gov.
- VET Registry staff will provide you with a VET Registry Investigator Application. Anyone considering using the VET Registry must complete the application at least 20 business days prior to when the submitting investigator needs completed VET Registry materials.
- Submit the application to VET Registry staff.
- The application will be reviewed by the Scientific Ethics and Oversight Committee (SEOC). The SEOC consists of senior scientists in the fields of genetics, genomics, twin research, medicine, psychiatry, epidemiology, and biostatistics. The SEOC provides external review and advises whether the intended research proposal is aligned with the mission and goals of the Registry. The SEOC considers the scientific merit of the study and the study’s contribution to a balanced research portfolio for the Registry. The SEOC also examines the availability of Registry resources, including members, data or biospecimens, level of subject burden, ethical treatment, and privacy implications to members.
- After approval, VET Registry staff will create a budget, narrative, letter of support, and signed consortium letter with the local VA R&D office.
Contact VET Registry staff for more information.
Acknowledgement & Disclaimer Statements
This language is a requirement for all manuscripts, posters, or presentations that present VET Registry data. If you have questions, please contact VET Registry staff.
Acknowledgement Statement
The creation and the ongoing development, management, and maintenance of the Vietnam-Era Twin (VET) Registry (CSP #256) is supported by the Cooperative Studies Program (CSP) of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Research & Development. Over the past decades, data collection has been supported by ancillary grants from the VA, the National Institutes of Health, and other sponsors. Additional VET Registry data in this [insert type of product: manuscript, poster or presentation] was included from the following ancillary studies: [List those awards that contributed data in the product]. Most importantly, the authors gratefully acknowledge the past and continued cooperation and participation of VET Registry members and their families. Without their contribution, this research would not have been possible.
Disclaimer Statement
All statements and opinions are solely of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the VET Registry, VA, or United States Government.
Resource Sharing & Dissemination Plan
Investigators can use this language in grant application to describe their Resource Sharing and Dissemination Plan when required by NIH:
The twin sample used in this proposal is from the Vietnam-Era Twin (VET) Registry, a United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) resource managed by the Cooperative Studies Program (CSP) within the VA Office of Research & Development. VET Registry repository data is available to qualified VA and non-VA investigators who submit requests directly to the VET Registry’s Coordinating Center (VETR@va.gov). The VET Registry shares repository data via their data sharing policies and procedures, and under the purview of VA regulations and informed consent collected from VET Registry members.
VET Registry policy requires all studies collecting or creating new data from VET Registry members, existing repository data, or biospecimens to deposit a copy of new data into the VET Registry’s data repository. Newly deposited data have the following embargos: investigators collecting the data have exclusive use and access to biologic samples and all data collected under their protocol for 3* years after the last data collection point (*5 years after the last data collection point for studies collecting new data before July 1, 2020), unless the investigator collecting the data waives the embargo. Investigators collecting the data have exclusive use and access to genetic data for 1 year from the time when a complete data set is available to the investigator for hypotheses for which the genetic data were collected. For unrelated hypotheses, as determined by the VET Registry’s Scientific and Ethics Oversight Committee, there are no exclusive-use restrictions and the genetic data are immediately available to other investigators.
