Research priorities for the control of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes in low- and middle-income countries are operational rather than fundamental. So, rather than focus attention preferentially on new treatments for disease or new causes of disease, research is required to determine how best to utilize existing knowledge to develop intervention programs appropriate for use in resource-poor settings.

A large armamentarium of effective interventions for prevention and treatment has been developed and tested in randomized controlled trials, and safe, effective medications are now available at low cost. However, there is little or no reliable evidence available about which interventions should be prioritized in different demographic, epidemiological and economic circumstances or about how best to deliver these interventions in a range of different low- and middle-income countries. Research focused on this question would directly inform policies about global and regional responses to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Support for the development of research capacity and for the strengthening of research institutions is also a priority. Such capacity building and institutional strengthening fulfils complementary roles, not only supporting research development but also providing skills and leadership to guide and promulgate policies for disease management. The priorities for capacity development and institutional strengthening in low- and middle-income countries, like the priorities for research itself, are operational rather than fundamental. The focus should be on providing skills in epidemiology, health services research, health economics and clinical research, and fostering centers of excellence in these disciplines.

The urgent and growing needs of low- and middle-income countries for operational research to guide efforts to control cardiovascular diseases and major risk factors such as diabetes is recognized by many governments, national heart foundations and diabetes associations, as well as by leading multilateral agencies such as the Global Forum for Health Research, the World Health Organization, the World Heart Federation, and the World Bank. These needs have been documented in a report commissioned by the World Bank and the World Health Organization, and prepared by the US Institute of Medicine. IC Health was launched in response to those needs.