History of Statistical Thinking in Medicine

Biostatistics is a very hot discipline today. Biostatisticians are in demand in the United States. Medical researchers appreciate statistical thinking and applications. In laboratory science, clinical research and epidemiological investigation, statisticians’ collaborations are sought after. In many medical journals, statisticians are asked to serve as reviewers. In NIH (National Institutes of Health) grant applications, statisticians are required to be collaborators and statistical considerations have to be incorporated. In pharmaceutical development, drug companies recruit statisticians to guide study design, to analyze data, and to prepare reports for submission to FDA (Food and Drug Administration). All in all, statistical thinking permeates medical research and health policy. But it was not this way in the beginning. This article describes the history of application of statistical thinking in the medicine.