diff --git a/src/db/models/User.ts b/src/db/models/User.ts
index d7b2392..80441ab 100644
--- a/src/db/models/User.ts
+++ b/src/db/models/User.ts
@@ -95,9 +95,6 @@ UserModel.init(
         },
         era_commons_id: {
             type: DataTypes.STRING,
-            validate: {
-                isAlpha: true,
-            },
         },
         nih_ned_id: {
             type: DataTypes.STRING,