Success so far in developing and enhancing the resource has relied on public willingness to participate in prospective research studies; close engagement with funders, government health departments, and the UK National Health Service; extensive consultation with the public, scientists, and a wide range of regulatory, legal, and ethics bodies; and the development of cost-effective and efficient methodological approaches. The most significant challenges to be overcome are the implementation of scientifically rigorous processes on a very large scale, sustaining the funding required to ensure the benefits of the resource are fully realised, obtaining approvals from multiple regulatory bodies in a frequently changing political and healthcare environment, and ensuring as wide as possible communication of the non-preferential, open access nature of the resource.
