Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) Consortium

VACS offers an unprecedented resource of data derived from electronic health record (EHR) at the Veterans Health Administration (VA). The data are subjected to rigorous data cleaning, creating definitions that have been validated and utilized over time and phenotype validation by combining sophisticated data analytics and high performance computing. The VACS Family shares common data elements, including 25 years of longitudinal data on alcohol and health outcomes in people with HIV and behaviorally similar uninfected individuals, allowing us to characterize the role of HIV infection in determining alcohol associated outcomes; and supports targeted translational and intervention studies. Leveraging the lessons learned from the last 25 years, we have since expanded into investigations using the national cohort of all Veterans accessing VA care, including hepatitis C treatment and outcomes, and disparities and patterns of COVID-19 testing and outcomes.

To support excellence in study design and analyses, we have cultivated an international collaborative network of experts. This well-established infrastructure has resulted in exceptional productivity. Our investigators have used data from the VACS Family to produce >500 peer reviewed publications, cited >26,000 times.

We are also proud of the education, training, career development, and leadership experience we offer young investigators, many of whom have transitioned to independent NIH and VA funding.