Facts on the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Number of Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine

103 Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine have been awarded since 1901. It was not awarded on nine occasions: in 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1921, 1925, 1940, 1941 and 1942.

Why were the Medicine Prizes not awarded in those years? In the statutes of the Nobel Foundation it says: "If none of the works under consideration is found to be of the importance indicated in the first paragraph, the prize money shall be reserved until the following year. If, even then, the prize cannot be awarded, the amount shall be added to the Foundation's restricted funds." During World War I and II, fewer Nobel Prizes were awarded.

Number of shared and unshared Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine

38 Medicine Prizes have been given to one Laureate only.
32 Medicine Prizes have been shared by two Laureates.
33 Medicine Prizes have been shared between three Laureates.

Why is that? In the statutes of the Nobel Foundation it says: A prize amount may be equally divided between two works, each of which is considered to merit a prize. If a work that is being rewarded has been produced by two or three persons, the prize shall be awarded to them jointly. In no case may a prize amount be divided between more than three persons.

Number of Nobel Laureates* in Physiology or Medicine

201 individuals have been awarded 1901-2012.

List of all Nobel Prize Laureates in Physiology or Medicine

Average age

The average age of all Medicine Laureates between 1901 and 2012 is 57 years.
More information about Medicine Laureates and age

Youngest Medicine Laureate

To date, the youngest Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine is Frederick G. Banting, who was 32 years old when he was awarded the Medicine Prize in 1923.

Oldest Medicine Laureate

The oldest Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine to date is Peyton Rous, who was 87 years old when he was awarded the Medicine Prize in 1966.

Female Nobel Laureates in Physiology or Medicine

Of the 201 individuals awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, only ten are women. Of these eight, Barabara McClintock is the only one who has received an unshared Nobel Prize.
1947 - Gerty Cori
1977 - Rosalyn Yalow
1983 - Barbara McClintock
1986 - Rita Levi-Montalcini
1988 - Gertrude B. Elion
1995 - Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard
2004 - Linda B. Buck
2008 - Françoise Barré-Sinoussi
2009 - Elizabeth H. Blackburn and Carol W. Greider

List of all 43 female Nobel Laureates

Multiple Nobel Laureates in Physiology or Medicine

No one has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine more than once. Yet ...

See list of multiple Nobel Laureates within other prize categories here

Posthumous Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine

There have been no posthumous Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine. From 1974, the Statutes of the Nobel Foundation stipulate that a Prize cannot be awarded posthumously, unless death has occurred after the announcement of the Nobel Prize. Before 1974, the Nobel Prize has only been awarded posthumously twice: to Dag Hammarskjöld (Nobel Peace Prize 1961) and Erik Axel Karlfeldt (Nobel Prize in Literature 1931).

Following the 2011 announcement of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, it was discovered that one of the Medicine Laureates, Ralph Steinman, had passed away three days earlier. The Board of the Nobel Foundation examined the statutes, and an interpretation of the purpose of the rule above lead to the conclusion that Ralph Steinman should continue to remain a Nobel Laureate, as the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet had announced the 2011 Nobel Laureates in Physiology or Medicine without knowing of his death.

Family Nobel Laureates in Physiology or Medicine

Married couple:
Gerty Cori and Carl Cori, both awarded the 1947 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Father & son:
Hans von Euler-Chelpin (Chemistry Prize) and Ulf von Euler (Medicine Prize)
Arthur Kornberg (Medicine Prize) and Roger D. Kornberg (Chemistry Prize)

Brothers:
Jan Tinbergen (Economics Prize) and Nikolaas Tinbergen (Medicine Prize)

One Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine has been forced by authorities to decline the Nobel Prize

Adolf Hitler forbade three German Nobel Laureates from accepting the Nobel Prize, including Gerhard Domagk, who was awarded the 1939 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The other two Laureates were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Richard Kuhn in 1938 and Adolf Butenandt in 1939. All of them could later receive the Nobel Prize Diploma and Medal, but not the prize amount.

Nobel Laureate Partnerships in Biomedical Science

Many long scientific partnerships have resulted in Nobel Prizes:

List compiled in 2012, courtesy of Joseph L. Goldstein.

Links to more facts on the Nobel Prizes:
Facts on the Nobel Prize in Physics
Facts on the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Facts on the Nobel Prize in Literature
Facts on the Nobel Peace Prize
Facts on the Prize in Economic Sciences
Facts on all Nobel Prizes
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