NIH has launched an online database of genetic and clinical data from large population-based studies that is available at no cost to researchers worldwide, HealthDay/Forbes reports.
The SNP Health Association Resource, or SHARe database, seeks to expedite discoveries linking genes and health and gain a better understanding of what causes various diseases and how they can be prevented.
HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said, "SHARe represents a major milestone in moving toward an era of personalized health care -- a future in which the ways we prevent, diagnose and treat health problems are tailored to an individual's genetic makeup."
The database is accessed through Genotypes and Phenotypes, a Web-based resource for collecting and distributing data from studies that examine the links between genes and traits such as weight, cholesterol levels or the prevalence of disease (HealthDay/Forbes, 10/14).