The statutory function of control over all matters concerning medical, dental and related biological and physical research, as contained in the Act of the South African Medical Research Council No. 19 of 1969, are set out. The various research activities, administrative procedures and policies, are outlined. Special attention is drawn to the 2 institutes, viz. the National Research Institute for Occupational Diseases (NRIOD) and the National Research Institute for Nutritional Diseases (NRIND), to the 25 research units and groups, and the increasing number of individual project researchers. Allocation of funds is based on the policy that research is supported where it can best be pursued.S. Afr. Med. J., 48, 1325 (1974)
