What makes UK Biobank special?

In a prescient move more than a decade ago, the Medical Research Council and Wellcome Trust decided to establish the large UK Biobank prospective cohort to support the investigation of risk factors for the major diseases of middle and old age.1,2 Recruitment of more than 500 000 men and women aged 40–69 years was successfully achieved during 2006–10 and their health is being followed long term. On March 30, 2012, the UK Biobank resource is launched for use by all researchers—without exclusive or preferential access—for any health-related research that is in the public interest.