Department of Defense Serum Repository The Department of Defense Serum Repository ( also referred to as the DoD Serum Repository or simply DoDSR ) is a biological repository operated by the United States Department of Defense containing over 50 , 000 , 000 human serum specimens , collected primarily from applicants to and members of the United States Uniformed Services . The DoDSR is located in Silver Spring , Maryland and is operated by the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center ( AFHSC ) , a subordinate of the United States Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine ( USACHPPM ) , itself evolved from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health . The DoDSR traces its origins to 1985 and the beginnings of the United States Armed Forces HIV screening program ( originally referred to as the HTLV - III screening program ) , when serum remaining after periodic laboratory testing of service members was retained first by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research ( WRAIR ) , then later systematically archived in the Army / Navy Serum Repository , the precursor to the DoDSR . Today the DoDSR is among the largest serum repositories in the world , in terms of numbers of individuals represented , number of longitudinal specimens stored per individual , and total quantity of serum . The majority of specimens are linked to detailed medical and personnel data , creating a valuable resource for retrospective research and public health surveillance . The DoDSR ' s longitudinal serum , collected systematically from a large population , has enabled major contributions to understanding the etiology of many health conditions not otherwise amenable to prospective study , including multiple sclerosis , schizophrenia , autoimmune diseases and cancer . History . The earliest serum housed in the DoDSR was collected through the Armed Forces ’ HLTV - III screening program , implemented in 1985 in response to the emergence of a new human virus , subsequently known as ( HIV ) . Early laboratory testing was performed via contracted private laboratories . Screening soon expanded to all civilian applicants processed at Military Entrance Processing Stations . A condition of some early laboratory testing contracts specified that remnant serum were to remain in frozen storage . In 1989 , the Army ’ s Walter Reed Army Institute of Research ( WRAIR ) awarded a contract to McKesson to consolidate and store accumulated residual serum specimens at a single facility , established in proximity to WRAIR in Rockville , Maryland . The HIV Research Program ( established by Congressional Direction in 1986 ) , under the WRAIR Division of Retrovirology , established the Walter Reed Army Serum Repository , which would evolve to become the Army / Navy Serum Repository in 1989 . In 2001 , the repository inventory was moved to its current location , a facility in Silver Spring , Maryland . In recent years , the DoDSR has grown by approximately 1 . 9 - 2 . 3 million specimens annually . By 2007 , the DoDSR inventory had grown to over 44 million specimens , and by the end of 2009 , over 50 , 000 , 000 specimens . Growth of the DoDSR Inventory . HIV Seronegative Specimens . The DoDSR , along with its precursor repositories , were designated as the ultimate storage facility for all serologically negative HIV specimens obtained through military HIV testing programs . Growing initially through the routine screening of all civilian applicants , and then through the continued screening of retained military personnel ( at approximate two year intervals ) , by 1990 the DoDSR inventory had grown to contain over six million serum specimens , and by 1996 over 17 million specimens . Standardized processes in place at the contracted military HIV testing laboratories ensured efficient management of the growing inventory , permitting the DoDSR to enforce standards in specimen labelling , configuration , and shipment of specimens which facilitated their physical integration into the DoDSR inventory . Contracts for HIV testing , negotiated by the individual military services , covered all specimens shipped from Military Treatment Facilities for HIV testing within the United States ; for this reason unless specifically removed , serum from military beneficiaries ( i . e . spouses and children ) would also find their way into the DoDSR inventory . Addition of Pre - and Post - Deployment Specimens . Prompted by experiences in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War , including claims by many service members of adverse health outcomes , the December , 1995 deployment of U . S . service members to Bosnia was accompanied by increased emphasis on health surveillance . A 1996 Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs memorandum mandated the collection of pre - and post - deployment serum specimens from deploying service members , and their integration into the DoDSR . The policy also directed that specimens collected for HIV surveillance could suffice . Although a small number of specimens were collected directly for health surveillance outside of existing HIV testing channels , specimens collected in this manner suffered from lack of standardization . By 1999 , the Assistant Secretary of Defense issued modified instructions , which directed that the requirement for pre - and post - deployment specimens be satisfied by HIV testing . Initially , an HIV specimen was required to be collected prior to deployment if none had been collected in the year prior . Concerns over the adequacy of specimens collected for this purpose , including findings of the Rhode Island Gulf War Commission , contributed to public concern over the adequacy of existing serum collection practices . The FY2005 Defense Authorization Act called on the Department of Defense to perform " [ a ] n assessment of whether there is a need for changes to regulations and standards for drawing blood samples for effective tracking and health surveillance of the medical conditions of personnel before deployment , upon the end of a deployment , and for a followup period of appropriate length " . Additionally , this legislation required DoD to change its policies to require collection of an HIV specimen within 120 days pre - deployment and 30 days post - deployment . This change was later rescinded in conjunction with the later recommendations of the Armed Forces Epidemiological Board , to permit a sample collected within the year prior to deployment to meet requirements . Despite the many changes in policies , the large numbers of service members deploying in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom have led to a moderate increase in the rate of specimen acquisition and growth of the DoDSR inventory . Evolution of the DoDSR Mission and Custody . The DoDSR has evolved from a research - affiliated repository limited to storing HIV seronegative specimens , to a repository serving a broad health surveillance mission for which it was not originally intended . The first officially articulated purpose of the DoDSR is found in a 1991 WRAIR solicitation for the management of the precursor to the DoDSR : " Sera repository operations are required for retrospective studies in support of current and future retroviral research efforts . . . Analysis of these sera will be very important . " The WRAIR solicitation anticipated as - needed specimen retrieval of up to 5 , 000 specimens per year . In 1995 , responsibility and custody of the DoDSR inventory and its associated database was transferred from WRAIR to a newly formed subordinate command of the United States Army Medical Command , the United States Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine ( USACHPPM ) . USACHPPM , or simply CHPPM , itself evolved from the U . S . Army Industrial Hygiene Laboratory , which was initially established in 1942 at the beginning of World War II at the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene , now the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health . The change in custody was accompanied by an increased emphasis on the epidemiologic , public health and health surveillance utility of DoDSR specimens . A DoD Instruction issued in 1997 , since rescinded , described the purpose of the DoDSR as being for " medical surveillance for clinical diagnosis and epidemiological studies . The repository shall be used exclusively for the identification , prevention , and control of diseases associated with operational deployments of military personnel " . A subsequent DoD Directive , DoDD 6490 . 02E , expanded authorized uses of the DoDSR slightly : " There shall be a Department of Defense Serum Repository for medical surveillance for clinical diagnosis and epidemiological studies . The repository shall be used for the identification , prevention , and control of diseases associated with military service " . Rationale for Current Practices . Responding to concerns outlined in the FY2005 Defense Authorization Act , the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs requested the Armed Forces Epidemiological Board ( AFEB ) address three questions related to the mission and operation of the DoDSR : The AFEB study determined that there was sound basis for the continued collection of serum , but recommending the additional collection of white blood cells in addition to serum . The AFEB study also recommended that the DoD establish an oversight panel be created to govern access to the specimens . Neither recommendation has yet been acted on . Present DoDSR . Location . The DoDSR facility is located in of leased commercial space in a building located at 11800 Tech Road , Silver Spring , Maryland . The leased space was acquired through a ten - year lease managed by the General Services Administration ( GSA ) which expires October 1 , 2010 . The commercial facility is shared with two other major tenants : Holy Cross Hospital , and Comcast , whose continued occupancy precludes contiguous expansion of the DoDSR inventory . Due to space constraints at the existing facility , relocation of the DoDSR inventory to another location in the Baltimore - National Capital region ( including Ft . Meade , Maryland ) was considered as early as 2005 . Considerations under BRAC . Although AFHCS maintains technical and computing facilities supporting the DoDSR at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center ( WRAMC ) , Washington , D . C . and is subject to realignment under the recommendations of the Base Realignment and Closure ( BRAC ) Commission , published BRAC recommendations do not specify a location to which the facilities must relocate . Relocation of the WRAMC AFHSC facilities are necessary by September 15 , 2011 . Contracted Operation . The DoDSR is operated by Thermo Fisher Scientific under a no - bid or " sole - source " contract awarded in 2006 . An earlier no - bid contract was awarded to Cryonix in 2005 , although Cryonix was later incorporated under Thermo Electron Corporation ' s Biorepository Services division Thermo Electron subsequently merged with Fisher Scientific in 2006 . Thermo Fisher ' s Fisher BioServices business currently holds the contract . Freezer Equipment . The DoDSR consists of 15 large walk - in freezers , each approximately x 30 feet x 10 high , whose interiors are maintained at - 30 °C by pairs of compressors . Serum Storage . The majority of serum specimens are stored inside the walk - in freezers in cardboard boxes , approximately 6 x 18 x in size , each containing 308 specimens , and each consisting of approximately 2 . 5 mL of frozen serum The cardboard boxes are sequentially numbered and labeled , and stored on metal shelving units within the walk - in freezers for ready accessibility and retrieval . Due to storage constraints , approximately 5 . 5 million specimens from two walk - in freezers were placed into " high - density " configuration in 2006 , and additional reconfiguration may be required . The current operations contract calls for the contractor to " " adjust the storage configurations of specimens in one or more freezers to accommodate high - density , boxed specimen storage " " as required . Transportation of Specimens to the DoDSR . The majority of specimens are received quarterly in frozen form , following completion of all HIV testing . Shipments arrive in pallets transported in a freezer truck from the major contracted testing laboratory , ViroMed , which is located in Minnetonka , Minnesota . In 2008 , the DoDSR procured a specialized freezer truck to transport specimens to the DoDSR , and solicited a bid for more frequent transport of specimens to the repository Data Linkages . DoDSR inventory data and related information are stored in an Oracle database referred to as the " Defense Medical Surveillance System " ( DMSS ) , which serves as the " sole link " to the DoDSR inventory . Serum specimens are identified by a unique " specimen identification number " , which for the majority of specimens are linked to the Social Security Number of the donor , and the date the specimen was obtained . In addition to inventory data , DMSS also integrates select medical outcomes data available through the Military Health System ( MHS ) , including International Classification of Diseases , 9th Edition , Clinical Modification ( ICD - 9CM ) diagnosis codes , Current Procedural Terminology ( CPT ) codes , and other pertinent administrating data from inpatient and outpatient encountered provided directly by the MHS or through Tricare managed care services . Active duty component service members ( unlike service members in the Reserve components ) , are entitled to free ( or nearly free ) health care for the duration of their military service , the details of which are captured electronically in DMSS . The active duty component thus constitutes a cohort where health events can be assessed longitudinally with minimal ascertainment bias . Over half of the specimens in the DoDSR are traceable to service members who have been on active duty , and 75 % of active duty service members have provided three or more longitudinal specimens . Limited additional health and personnel data linked to DoDSR specimens include records of immunizations , overseas deployment s , military assignment data , and records from pre - and post - deployment health assessments . Links to Other Available Data . Significant additional MHS administrative and clinical data exist which are not integrated into DMSS . These include : Recent AFHSC solicitations have requested additional staff to address these data shortfalls . Linkages to Other DoD Biological Repositories . The Department of Defense , through the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology operates the AFIP Tissue Repository , which contains approximately 3 million case files and associated paraffin blocks , microscopic glass slides , and formalin - fixed tissue specimens from pathologic examinations occurring throughout the Military Health System . Thousands of cases are added to the repository each year . With the disestablishment of the AFIP under Base Realignment and Closure , management of the Tissue Repository was to have been transferred to the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences . However , Public Law 110 - 181 Section 722 directed the President to establish a Joint Pathology Center , which would subsume responsibility for the AFIP Tissue Repository . A Joint Pathology Center Working Group Concept of Operations stated that : " The JPC . . . will provide maintenance / modernization of the Tissue Repository in support of the mission of the DoD and other federal agencies . " In its review of the JPC Working Group Concept of Operations , the Defense Health Board emphasized that : " Every effort must be pursued to guarantee that the Tissue Repository is preserved , implements world - class modernization , and is utilized appropriately . A recent independent report by Asterand ( Detroit , MI ) submitted to Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences found the repository to have a commercial value of $ 3 . 0 - $ 3 . 6 Billion . . . " Despite the utility of linking AFIP Tissue Repository specimens to longitudinal pre - diagnostic serum available in the DoDSR , no formal linkage of the AFIP Tissue Repository inventory has yet been made to DMSS or to the DoDSR . No estimate is yet available on the potential commercial value of such a formal linkage . Permitted Uses of DoDSR Specimens . Requests for access to DoDSR specimens are governed by guidelines developed by the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center . According to guidelines , " " [ t ] he Director of the repository is solely responsible for authorizing releases of specimens from the repository . " " Research . DoDSR specimens may only be released to principal investigators outside the Department of Defense for purposes of medical research if the proposed study has " " a coinvestigator who is assigned to the Department of Defense and is knowledgeable , responsible , and accountable for all aspects of the study ’ s design and execution ( including data management , analysis , interpretation , and reporting of results ) . " " Clinical Care . Serum from the DoDSR may be requested by clinicians within the Military Health System to aid diagnosis and guide clinical management . Serum may also be released to clinicians outside the Military Health System provided a physician in the Military Health System in the same specialty as the requestor validates the clinical relevance of the requested use prior to the release of any serum . Criminal Investigations . Serum specimens from the DoDSR may be used for criminal investigations and prosecutions if directed by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs . Other Issues . Informed Consent . DoDSR specimens are collected without informed consent , and specimen donors are not informed of the use of their specimens in subsequent studies . Specimens retrieved by the DoDSR for use in external research studies are , with rare exceptions , deidentified prior to being sent to outside investigators . Genetic Testing . A 1996 memorandum specifically stated that DoDSR specimens collected for pre - and post - deployment health surveillance " " will not be used for any genetics related testing " " . Civilian and Beneficiary Serum . As a result of clinically indicated HIV testing performed on civilians and family beneficiaries at Military Treatment Facilities ( eligible for health care within the Military Health System ) , approximately 900 , 000 serum specimens from individuals not directly affiliated with the Uniformed Services through application or service are also stored in the DoDSR . In Privacy Act documentation , DoD acknowledges that the AFHSC maintains " . . . specimen collections ( remaining serum from blood samples ) from which serologic tests can be performed . . . " from categories of individuals which include " Department of Defense military personnel ( active and reserve ) and their family members . . . " . Destruction of Specimens . DoDSR guidelines are silent as to whether a mechanism exists for specimen donors to request destruction or removal of their specimens from the repository . In Privacy Act documentation , DoD states that " [ r ] ecords are destroyed when no longer needed for reference and for conducting business " , but no formal mechanism is articulated for the destruction or specimens . This is in contrast to the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology DNA Repository ( also known as the Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains ) which articulates a mechanism for donors to request the destruction of their specimens following separation from service . RAND Study on the Role of the DoDSR in Pandemic Influenza Preparedness . On May 1 , 2009 , during the early stages of the 2009 H1N1 flu outbreak , an unpublished RAND study , originally commissioned in 2006 by USACHPPM was published in its entirety on Wikileaks . The leaked documents included a justification for the $ 500 , 000 contract cost , directly authorized by former Surgeon General of the United States Army Kevin C . Kiley on August 4 , 2006 , which stated the study and its 12 month timetable for delivery was necessary " . . . to describe the current and future capabilities of the Department of Defense Serum Repository to assist with the early identification and response to an influenza pandemic . Adequate resources are not available in - house to perform these analyses in sufficient time to prepare for a pandemic . . . " Despite the leaked study draft ' s publication date of May 2008 , at the time of the leak and outbreak in May 2009 , RAND listed the study as a " current project " , noting in its description that " the threat of an emerging human pandemic [ has ] highlighted the importance of a comprehensive U . S . Armed Forces health surveillance architecture " . Around the time of the leaked documents ' appearance on Wikileaks , the lead author of the unpublished RAND study published an op - ed piece in the $ 3 describing the control of the outbreak a concern of " national security " , and highlighting the need to " marshal the best . . . institutional strengths . . . to prevent , detect and respond effectively to this latest infectious disease " .