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Information for Physicians

Physicians are invited to refer their patients to be a part of the biorepository at Penn State Institute of Personalized Medicine. Following is information that may be helpful to referring physicians.

What can patients expect?

Recruitment into the program requires very little from the patient. A brochure will be mailed to prospective participants prior to a scheduled clinic visit. Following registration for the visit, patients will be approached and recruited; the exact logistics will be determined by the preferences, flow and physical constraints of the particular clinic.

Once consented into the program, extra tubes of blood may be drawn when patients undergo clinically ordered blood draws and any leftover blood or tissues may be used for research along with information from their medical record. Except for the extra tubes of blood, no aspects of a patient’s care will change.

What is the referring physician’s role?

Physicians are welcome to play as active a role as they choose. The biorepository program has been designed so that clinic flow will not be adversely affected. However, program consenters will be present in clinics and specific areas for consent discussions may be designated. Patients may inquire about the program during their physician encounters.

Physicians may provide the IPM informational brochure or refer them to pennstatehealth.org/personalized-medicine for more information.

Are results returned?

Should a researcher find results that may have potential benefit to the patient, a Program Return of Research Results Board has been formed to provide a venue for investigators to report results they feel may have potential clinical significance.

The Board assumes the responsibility of determining what should be done with the research results. Its mission is to ensure that any research results that could impact the clinical care of the participant be appropriately transmitted to the participant’s physician and/or relevant providers.

No results will be transmitted directly to participants.