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Michigan BioTrust for Health- Dried Blood Spot Research
Blood Spot Research
Dried blood spots (DBS) left over after newborn screening may be used for medical and public health research studies to better understand underlying causes of disease and possible interventions to improve health outcomes. The BioTrust for Health program at MDHHS oversees the research use of these residual specimens. The availability of DBS for research depends on the consent requirements in place at the time of collection. All research must be approved by MDHHS through the BioTrust application process. This process includes review by the MDHHS Institutional Review Board and the BioTrust Scientific Advisory Board.
The BioTrust Research Report provides a summary and current status of research requesting blood spots from Michigan.
MDHHS, in collaboration with our BioTrust Community Values Advisory Board, has developed policies to outline how DBS can be used in medical and public health research studies:
Guidelines for Research Use of Dried Blood Spots - DHHS Policy 114
Guidelines for Review and Approval of Research Using Dried Blood Spots - DHHS Policy 115
Information for Researchers
Research teams interested in learning more about blood spot research in Michigan can download the BioTrust Research Manual. This manual describes:
- DBS availability for research.
- Policies outlining the appropriate use of DBS in health research.
- How to apply to MDHHS to use DBS for research purposes.
- Storage conditions for DBS and more.
Application Forms
- This form is required for MDHHS BioTrust review of research studies seeking initial review and for MDHHS BioTrust-approved studies seeking review of study revisions. It contains a checklist of materials required for an application submission.
MDHHS Institutional Review Board (IRB): The MDHHS IRB reviews each study requesting MDHHS DBS and data use for adherence to ethical guidelines and to ensure that subjects’ rights are adequately protected. The IRB Selecting an Application and Applying webpage provides information on which MDHHS IRB application is appropriate for submission.
DBS Release Forms
- This form is required for all MDHHS BioTrust-approved research studies seeking release of blood spot samples and/or data.
Completed applications for research using blood spots can be submitted by email to BioTrust@michigan.gov.