NIH Unveils World’s Largest Integrated Health Database

The National Institutes of Health has announced the largest data release in the history of its All of Us Research Program, establishing it as the world’s most extensive integrated genomic and electronic health record (EHR) database. The landmark release makes data from over 747,000 participants available to scientists, including more than 535,000 whole genome sequences linked to nearly 482,000 electronic health records — a combination of genomic depth and clinical breadth unmatched by any research program globally.

A Decade in the Making

Authorized by Congress in 2015 under the Precision Medicine Initiative, the All of Us Research Program was conceived with an ambitious goal: build one of the largest and most diverse biomedical data resources in history by collecting health data from at least 1 million people across the United States. Nearly a decade later, the program has enrolled over 883,000 total participants, with data from more than 747,000 now available to registered researchers at no cost.

According to the NIH’s official announcement, the new dataset encompasses more than 1.3 billion genetic variants, 553,000 genotyping arrays, 96,000 structural variant records, and 600,000 physical measurements, alongside 747,000 survey responses capturing social circumstances, behaviors, and environments. EHR data grew by 22% in this release, driven by expanded data sources including participant-mediated submissions and health information exchange data.

Entering the Multiomics Era

A defining feature of this release is the program’s entry into the multiomics era. For the first time, the dataset includes proteomics data from nearly 10,000 participants, RNA sequencing data from nearly 9,000 participants, and long-read whole genome sequences from more than 14,500 participants. This allows researchers to study not just the genome but also how genes are expressed and how proteins function, providing a far more complete picture of human biology.

As the All of Us program detailed in its announcement, over 8,000 participants of diverse genetic ancestry now have fully overlapping multiomics data across three advanced modalities, offering researchers unprecedented statistical power to map rare and common diseases.

Diversity at Scale

Perhaps the most significant aspect of the All of Us dataset is its focus on diversity. More than 645,000 participants — 86% of the total — come from communities historically underrepresented in biomedical research, including older adults, women, people with disabilities, people of all races and ethnicities, and residents of rural areas. Participants span all 50 states and territories, reflecting more than 98% of U.S. three-digit ZIP codes.

This emphasis addresses a critical gap in biomedical research. Historically, genetic studies have been disproportionately focused on populations of European ancestry, limiting the generalizability of findings. The All of Us data will enable researchers to understand how genetic factors influence health across different populations, potentially reducing health disparities.

“There’s a paradox at the heart of precision medicine,” said NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, M.D., Ph.D., in the NIH press release. “To tailor treatments to individuals, you actually need very large populations to uncover the patterns that connect genetics, lifestyle, and the environment to health outcomes. That is exactly what All of Us provides: research at unprecedented scale.”

Real-World Impact

The program’s impact is already evident. All of Us data has fueled more than 1,400 peer-reviewed publications by nearly 23,000 researchers across all 50 states and globally. Notable findings include a first-of-its-kind clinical genetic test predicting inherited risk across eight cardiovascular conditions, validation of a low-cost prostate cancer risk model now being tested in a clinical trial of 5,000 U.S. veterans, and the identification of existing medications and novel genetic changes that may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

The program has also pioneered the largest research return of genetic results in history, delivering more than 733,000 personalized health-related DNA results to over 277,000 participants.

“All of Us reflects the trust of people across the country who chose to contribute to research to benefit everyone,” said All of Us Research Program CEO Josh Denny, M.D., as reported by STAT News. “This release puts a richer dataset into the hands of scientists working on real clinical problems. This is how we advance the health of all Americans.”

A National Treasure

The open-access model of All of Us — data is available to registered researchers at no cost — democratizes scientific research, giving investigators at rural universities and small institutions the same computational power and data access as those at major research centers.

“I see All of Us as a national treasure,” said Dr. Bhattacharya. “This is an accessible, foundational platform that investigators at every career stage in institutions across the country can use to tackle our most pressing health challenges.”

Looking Ahead

Additional multiomic data releases are planned for later in 2026. As the program continues to grow toward its goal of 1 million or more participants, its value as a research resource will only increase. However, the program faces a significant challenge: the 21st Century Cures Act, which authorized funding through 2026, is approaching its expiration, and the program has stated it is committed to responsible, strategic planning that prioritizes participant data protection.

The All of Us Research Program represents a paradigm shift in biomedical research — one that recognizes that to understand the individual, science must first study the many. With this landmark data release, researchers now have an unprecedented tool to uncover the connections between genetics, lifestyle, and health that will define the future of precision medicine.