VPR Year in Review

The Virtual Pooled Registry (VPR) is primed to start a new year of linkages, but we would be remiss to proceed without taking a moment to highlight progress from the past year. Below is a short list of VPR accomplishments from 2024:

• Two additional registries are working through the process to join the VPR.
• A big thank you to the 45 current VPR registries who performed nine Phase I linkages.
• One additional registry Institutional Review Board (IRB), California, came on board with the VPR Central IRB, Biomedical Research Alliance of New York (BRANY), bringing the total number of local IRBs relying on BRANY up to 17 out of 26.
• BRANY reviewed six new VPR studies before they moved into Phase II, thereby negating the need for local IRB review.
• Fourteen new researchers expressed interest in using the VPR to link with cancer registries.
• The VPR initial request form was updated to combine the Phase I request form and Phase II Templated IRB/Registry Application (TIRA) into a single comprehensive VPR application.
• Information Management Services, Inc. implemented a workflow for registries that previously approved the study outside the VPR and is currently developing functionality to manage study amendments and approvals.