Page 12 - ISMCON souvenir 2021

Dr. Kameshwar Prasad
Director and CEO Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi
Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences
Ranchi

MESSAGE

The term ‘Meta-analysis’ was coined by Gene Glass in 1976 for his Presidential address at the annual conference
of the American Educational Research Association, as a method of summarizing evidence. But the method became
more popular in medicine than in education with a quick search in Pubmed with term ‘meta-analysis’, one finds that
from papers numbering in two digits in late 80s, last year more than 188000 papers had this term in their title or
abstract. As the field grew in popularity, it became clear that there is a need to pay more attention to the processes
before combining the data in a meta-analysis. To emphasize this, it has become imperative that a ‘systematic review’
must precede a ‘meta-analysis.’ Considering the rapid pace with which the field is catching popularity, I congratulate
the Indian Society of Medical Statistics for selecting the theme “Application of Biostatistical Techniques for
Summarizing Evidence: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” for this year’s conference.
My own journey in this ‘scientific discipline’, (as Thomas Chalmers called it), had begun in the year 1992, when I was
pursuing a Master’s course in ‘Research Methodology and clinical epidemiology’ at McMaster University, Canada. As
a part of my thesis there, I changed my initial narrative review of literature into a systematic review and meta-analysis,
which I also published separately in 1997. Since then, I have conducted, taught, inspired, mentored and published
several meta-analyses, many of which helped in shaping up clinical and public health policies, served as the basis
of clinical practice guidelines, and informing WHO statements. Therefore, it is with a sense of accomplishment and
conviction that I wholeheartedly support the conference and recommend to the participants. I would like to remind
them that all new research endeavour requires ‘review of literature’ and urge them to do this as a ‘systematic review’ to
inform framing of their research question and protocol; and prompt them to publish the same as an independent paper.

Research funding organisations increasingly require a systematic review with or without meta-analysis as a part of
the proposal submitted for funding. Even if not required, a proposal supported by a systematic review is very likely to
secure high scores during the review of the proposal by experts than the ones without a systematic review. Therefore,
I encourage the participants of the conference to take full advantage of the deliberations of the conference to acquire
knowledge and skills, which will benefit them in advancement of their career. I also encourage them to contribute to
the advancement of the science of systematic review and meta-analysis in several areas where more work is needed.
I am confident that the conference will be a grand success, even though it’s mostly virtual, due to the Covid-19
pandemic. I wish that all the participants enjoy the academic feast during the three days of conference and one day
of pre-conference workshop.

Dr. Kameshwar Prasad
Patron.

10 CONFERENCE SOUVENIR