The Institute for Research in Medical Statistics, Chennai was established in 1978.

Objectives

 To undertake studies in the domain of health services research and studies to evaluate the    national health programmes

 To investigate issues of statistical methodology

 To conduct courses in bio-statistics for medical research workers

 To provide statistical consultancy and service to research projects in public health and medicine

Research Contributions / Achievements

Health Services Research
In the area of National Leprosy Control Programme, an assessment of the Government Leprosy Treatment and Study Centre in Tirukoilur, South India, the Hemerijickx Leprosy Centre at Polambakkam in South India, and a random sample of 14 Leprosy Control Units were undertaken. Contributions in the area of National Tuberculosis Control Programme includes a mathematical study on the assessment of the impact of treatment programme, an operational study of the short-course chemotherapy in a rural area and studies on various methods to obtain accurate home addresses of out-patients attending urban chest clinics and two policies for managing default in out-patients. Other studies in this area pertain to utilization of curative and preventive health services in a rural, semi-urban and urban area, estimation of immunization coverages and influence of maternal education on infant mortality.

Evaluation studies
A double-blind randomized controlled trial was undertaken to assess the impact of Vitamin A supplementation on the incidence of diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections. Also, a randomized community trial was undertaken to compare the efficacy of two antenatal packages (routine and high-risk). An operational assessment of the mini-health centre scheme in Tamil Nadu was carried out.

Methodological studies
A variety of interesting methodological issues were investigated which covers implications of misdiagnosis in field trials of vaccines; implications of prior BCG vaccination on the protective efficacy of new anti-leprosy vaccines; sample size estimation for comparing two proportions; surveillance for trends in HIV positivity using tuberculosis patients; utility of confidence intervals; nutritional status of children aged 5-10 years and a review of the published literature on the erroneous applications of the chi-square test.

Epidemiological studies
Studies on heterogeneity of death rate in Chennai City and heterogeneity in fertility profile at sub-centre level were carried out. Also, a study on hookworm infestation, its correlates and influence on hemoglobin levels in rural areas was done.

Training programmes
One of the objectives of the Institute was to train medical research workers. Accordingly, the Institute has conducted regular training and orientation programmes in basic statistics, bio-statistics and controlled clinical trials for doctors and statisticians. The duration of each of the programme ranges from 1-2 weeks depending on the topics covered.

Traditional Medical Research
The Council had initiated an ambitious programme of testing several traditional remedies through multi-centric clinical trials. The conditions identified were anal fistula, filariasis, urolithiasis, viral hepatitis, diabetes mellitus and bronchial asthma. The Institute had been involved in the coordination of these trials through a special cell called "Central Biostatistical Monitoring Unit (CBMU) for Traditional Medicine Research" set-up in 1984 on the premises of the Institute.

Recognition for Ph. D
The University of Madras had recognized the Institute as a Centre for research leading to Ph. D in Biostatistics and Epidemiology.