How much PROGRESS has been made? The PROGRESS study began recruitment in July of 1995. The big kick-off took place when Dr. Leroy Hood, Dr. Stuart Holden, Michael Milken and General Norman Schwartzkopf appeared on the Larry King Live show on November 13, 1995. The program was so well received by American and international audiences that it was repeated two weeks later. By the middle of December, almost 4,000 calls had come into the PROGRESS offices. To date, almost 400 families have been invited to join PROGRESS and the study continues to enroll new families. We were surprised to see that the show was broadcast as far away as Brazil, Nigeria, Istanbul and Singapore! We have also been pleased to hear from many volunteers through the information superhighway - otherwise known as the Internet. The map on the back of this newsletter shows where PROGRESS participants are located around the world.

How is participant information kept confidential? The PROGRESS study procedures have gone through careful Institutional Review Board examination and approval to guarantee the rights to privacy and confidentiality of human subjects, as mandated by the National Institutes of Health. Each participant in PROGRESS is assigned a unique study identification number. This study number is used on the blood samples, not an individual's name. Even the scientists working with your DNA have no access to identifying information such as name or address. Your name and address are used only for the purpose of contacting you regarding the study, and are never released to anyone outside the PROGRESS study staff.