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Max Researcher, a doctor and researcher at a Huntington’s treatment clinic within Research University School of Medicine, plans to conduct a longitudinal study on the genetic risk factors associated with Huntington’s disease. The research goal is to improve understanding of the disease and to explore early treatment options in order to help inform clinicians, patients, and families and improve clinical decision-making/treatment planning. The study will recruit diagnosed Huntington’s patients and their first-degree relatives for participation. Researchers are interested in recruiting relatives who manifest the disease, those who are carriers of the mutation and do not manifest the disease, and those who are at risk for carrying the mutation.
Max plans to recruit participants from the community and to contact Huntington’s patients currently or formerly seeking treatment at the School of Medicine’s care facilities within the last seven years. The research protocol approved by the IRB includes specific requirements for children and adolescents who are initially consented into the study by their parent or legal guardian. The study was approved for minors since it can potentially improve their outcomes. The protocol requires assent of the minor, if the child has reached a certain age, and consent by at least one parent (see scenario regarding age-related consent). The patient/parent/legal guardian provides an e-signature, giving consent to participate in the study. Participating minors renew assent, and parents renew consent, annually and whenever there is a change in legal status. Minors consent on their own behalf when they reach legal age of consent or may choose to withdraw from the study. Adults are consented at enrollment and annually throughout the study. If a participant of any age withdraws consent, they may choose to remove their data from the sample, or simply decide not to contribute additional data.
At the conclusion of the study, participants will be asked whether they consent to being contacted by other members of the School of Medicine and other interested parties for future research opportunities. In addition, they will be asked whether they consent to the storage and secondary use of their data and/or their biospecimens for future research as part of broad consent.[i]
Max will collect clinical research data (demographics, family history, and clinical information from EHRs) and biological specimens (blood, saliva) from participants. Max and her research staff collect clinical information; biological specimens are collected by the School of Medicine lab technicians and processed by the affiliated lab.
Questions:
Title | Response |
Description | Clinical and genetic data submitted by participants, including minors and affected and unaffected relatives of patients, to support a longitudinal study of a serious disease. A researcher submits an approved data analysis protocol for a research study. |
Primary actor/participant | Researcher |
Support actor/participant | Patients and first-degree relatives who agree to become study participants, Medical Center-based lab |
Preconditions |
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Post conditions |
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Alternatives |
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Considerations | Risks are to autonomy (as to when you find out) and disclosure about the participant’s disease status (does the participant want to know they are at risk)? |
Data Elements Considered | A combination of data collected manually and entered into an electronic database/repository (i.e., clinical research data: demographics, family history, clinical information); and lab data from the biological specimens (i.e., blood, saliva). Genetic data about a specific disease. |
Purpose of the Data Collection | Improved disease understanding and treatment options; treatment-related data |
Purpose of Data Use | Analysis under a specific research protocol |
Terms of Transfer to the Data Holders | Consent to the researchers and care to the treatment facility |
Terms of Transfer to Researchers | IRB approval and consent |
[i] Human Subjects Research Protections: Enhancing Protections for Research Subjects and Reducing Burden, Delay, and Ambiguity for Investigators. 76 Fed. Reg. 44512, 44512-53. http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/regulations/nprm2015summary.html#
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