Rheumatology research has also embarked upon a new era. The COPCORD Study Group has completed surveys of musculoskeletal pain and rheumatic disorders (RD) in rural and urban communities of the country in 2001 and 201 1. It has estimated the incidence rates of the above conditions, identified the risk factors of the commonest rheumatic morbidities, i.e. knee osteoarthritis and low back pain. At the same time clinical research activities have also increased exponentially including the number of articles published in high impact international journals.
