Internet mediated research

Internet Mediated Research (IMR) is the practice of gathering medical, biomedical or health related research data via the internet directly from research subjects. The subject, uses a web browser to view and respond to questionnaires that are included in an approved medical research protocol.

In a traditional medical research study, the Principal Investigator, Research Coordinator, or other study staff conducts an interview with the research subject and records the information on a paper or electronic Case Report Form. Using IMR, the research subject instead responds to a questionnaire without the guidance of a research staff member, often performing the action at a time and place disassociated with the research clinic, using only a computer connected to the internet and a standard browser.

Recently, the medical community has begun to [study] whether there are differences between IMR data and traditionally collected data