title: Building capacity of Indian scientists to conduct systematic reviews in child health: an ICMR initiative.
abstract: Knowledge and training in evidence-based medicine is essential for informed clinical decision-making and treatment choices. Systematic reviews identify, appraise and synthesize research-based evidence and present it in accessible format. The Indian Council of Medical Research has promoted evidence-based medicine in India by establishing an Advanced Center for evidence based medicine that hosted the South Asian Cochrane Network and Center at the Christian Medical College, Vellore; procuring a national subscription to The Cochrane Library making it accessible to all Indian scientists; and establishing a Center for Advanced research on evidence- based child health at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh. This article informs about a national level initiative by ICMR that aims to harness the translational potential of secondary research, by funding systematic reviews aligned to national health priorities selected through a national competitive process; and to provide training, mentoring, and quality assurance. A continuing scheme of funding high-quality systematic reviews on priority areas of Child Health may follow.
authors.affiliation: Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, *University College of Medical Sciences, New Delhi; and #South Asian Cochrane Network and Centre, CMC Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. Correspondence to: Dr Anju Sinha, Scientist D, Division of Reproductive Sciences and Child Health, Indian Council of Medical Research, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110 029, India. apadhandr@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Anju
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.forename: Dheeraj
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Prathap
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tharyan
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research; D057191:Capacity Building; D002648:Child; D000067576:Child Health; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000458:organization & administration*