The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is the apex body in India for biomedical research. It was established in 1911 to formulate and promote biomedical research. ICMR coordinates and funds research on major diseases affecting India like communicable diseases, cancer, and diabetes. It also supports research through grants, fellowships, and conducting multi-center task force studies. ICMR's vision is to translate modern health technologies into public health systems through innovations in diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines.

1. INDIAN COUNCIL OF MEDICAL
RESEARCH (ICMR)
Prepared by-
Puja Saha
M.Pharm
NIET, Greater Noida.

2. SIGNIFICANCE
 The Indian Council of Medical Research the apex body in India for the
formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research, and is
one of the oldest medical research councils in the world.
 The primary aim of the ICMR is to promote research in the country in
the fields of medicine, public health and allied areas.
 The Council's research priorities coincide with National health priorities
such as control and management of communicable
diseases, fertility control, maternal and child health, control of nutritional
containment within safety limits of environmental and occupational
health problems.
 Research on major non-communicable diseases like cancer,
cardiovascular diseases, blindness, diabetes and other metabolic and
haematological disorders.
 Mental health research and drug research (including traditional remedies).
These efforts are undertaken with a view to reduce the total burden
of disease and to promote health and well-being of the population.

3. BACKGROUND
 1911- First meeting of the Governing Body of the Indian Research
Fund Association (IRFA) was held on November 15, 1911.
 1923- The first All India Conference of Medical Research Workers
was convened at the Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine and
Hygiene, Calcutta. (This became an annual event subsequently).
 1926- IRFA received the first munificient public contribution of Rs.1
lakh from the Maharaja of Parlakimedi.
 1932-The Governing Body of IRFA completed the task of setting up
the Institute of Hygiene and Public Health at Calcutta.
 1938- IRFA was registered as a local body not administered by the
Government on March 22, 1938 under the Government of India Act
No. XXI of 1860.
 1941- A Research Fellowship Scheme was started by IRFA.

4.  1945- A Clinical Research Unit (the first research unit of
IRFA attached to a medical institution) was established at the
Indian Cancer Research Centre, Bombay.
 1948- Dr. C.G. Pandit was appointed as the first full time
secretary of IRFA in July 1948.
 1949- IRFA was redesignated as the Indian Council of
Medical Research (with Dr. C.G. Pandit as its first Director).

5. VISION & MISSION
 ICMR is now one of the constituent bodies of the newly created
Department of Health Research (DHR), whose vision is
“to bring modern health technology to the people
through innovations related to diagnostics, treatment methods and
vaccines for prevention; to translate them into products and
processes and in synergy with concerned organizations to
introduce these innovations into public health systems’’.
 The Mission of the ICMR is
to promote better health in India It provides stewardship,
conducts and supports health research, generates knowledge
and ensures its utilization, and develops resources for health
research in areas of national public health importance.

6. STRATEGY
 Besides its traditional approach, in recent years ICMR has adopted
two new strategies to strengthen its activities:
• Application of available knowledge, under the prevailing
socioeconomic and cultural environment, through Health Systems
Research involving interdisciplinary efforts between biomedical,
social and behavioural sciences with epidemiology acting as a
bridge
• Application of the powerful tools of modern biology to identify
causal factors, basic mechanisms of disease, risk factors, and
development of affordable diagnostics and methods/tools of
intervention such as new therapeutic agents as well as vaccines.

7. FUNCTIONS OF ICMR:
 Provides financial assistance to promote biomedical and health
research.
 Proposals in fundamental/ strategic research, development and
evaluation of a tool, clinical and operational research
are considered for ICMR support.
 It provides assistance by way of grants to scientists in regular
employment in the universities, medical colleges, postgraduate
institutions, recognized research and development laboratories and
NGOs.
 ICMR also provides international fellowship programme for
research and training and exposure of Indian biomedical scientists
in various countries as well as offering opportunities to scientists
from developing countries to come and work in Indian
institutes/laboratories.

8.  The ICMR also funds task force studies which emphasise a time-
bound, goal-oriented approach with clearly defined targets, specific
time frames, standardised and uniform methodologies, and often a
multicentric structure.
 It also encourages human resource development in biomedical
research through Research Fellowships, Short-Term Visiting
Fellowships, Short-Term Research Studentships, and various
training programmes and workshops conducted by ICMR institutes
and headquarters.

9. GOVERNING BODIES
 The Governing Body of the Council is presided over by
the Union Health Minister.
 It is assisted in scientific and technical matters by a Scientific
Advisory Board comprising eminent experts in different
biomedical disciplines.
 The Board, in its turn, is assisted by a series of Scientific
Advisory Groups, Scientific Advidsory Committees, Expert
Groups, Task Forces, Steering Committees etc. which evaluate
and monitor different research activities of the Council.