National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Biospecimen Program: NHANES III (1988-1994) and NHANES 1999-2014.

BACKGROUND The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey's 9NHANES) biospecimena program was formed to manage the collection of biospecimena (including serum, plasma, urine, and DNA) from NHANES cycles, the storage of biospecimens in NHANES biospecimens, accessing of biospecimens by researchers and the providing of resulting data to future researchers. Data from biospeceimen research can be combined with existing NHANES data. OBJECTIVE This report provides background on the development of NHANES biorepositories and describes the collection, processing, and storing of biospecimens; ethical considerations and informed consent; and the proposal process for accessing biospecimens and resulting data. The number and types of biospecimens collected in each survey cycle from NHANES III (1988- 1994) through NHANES 1999-2014 are discussed so that researchers can understand what biospecimens are available if they are considering using NHANES biospecimens in their research.