Our Future Health

Our Future Health is a UK health research programme designed to assemble the country's largest research resource of its kind. It collects health information and blood samples from volunteers to build a detailed picture of the nation's health, with the aim of developing new ways to prevent, detect and treat disease. The programme targets participation from up to five million people; over 2.5 million have signed up so far.

The resulting resource pairs donated health data with biobanked blood samples at population scale. It is intended to help researchers identify disease earlier and study how conditions develop across large and diverse groups of volunteers. The programme operates in partnership with the NHS and follows a collaborative model involving volunteers, researchers, government, life sciences companies and charities.

The case for the work rests partly on demographic strain on the health system: 54% of people aged 65 and over currently live with two or more serious health conditions, a figure projected to reach 68% by 2035. Our Future Health received £79 million in initial UK Government funding, alongside support from life sciences companies and charities. Its geographic focus is the United Kingdom.