The Nordic Medico-Statistical Committee (NOMESCO) was set up in 1966, following a recommendation by the Nordic Council.

In 1979, the Committee was made a permanent statistical committee under the Nordic Council of Ministers with separate fundings from the Nordic Committee on Social Policy. Today, the Committee has a permanent secretariat in Copenhagen.

The aim of NOMESCO is as follows.

• To be responsible for the co-ordination of the health statistics in the Nordic countries.
• To initiate new projects, partly to improve comparisons of statistics, and partly to ensure the most rational use of Nordic expert knowledge in the field.
• To inform about Nordic statistical activities, mainly by publishing annual statistics as well as the results of special projects, surveys, etc.
• To co-ordinate and take part in international statistical collaboration, including activities in the Baltic countries.