The Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine is the Nobel Committee responsible for proposing laureates for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.[1] The Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine is appointed by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute, a body of 50 members at Karolinska Institute that is formally a separate body not part of the institute itself. It consists of professors of physiology or medical subjects active at Karolinska Institute. Other than the five ordinary members, ten associated members are appointed each year, for that year only.
The committee is a working body that invites nominations and evaluates candidates nominated for the Nobel Prize. The final decision to award the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine is taken by the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institute and based on a proposal from the Nobel Committee.[2]
Over the years, there have been many controversies concerned with the process by which nominations and awards of the Nobel Prize. To avoid any possible appearance of bias, the Nobel Committee states that once 50 years has passed since the time of nomination, it will make the criteria for the selection of award recipients public. Currently (August 2, 2011) the Nobel Prize award site is more than 10 years late in providing these criteria. See Nobel Prize controversies.
The secretary is in charge of the organization for the Nobel Committee and Assembly. He participates ex officio in their meetings and is usually their representative on the board of the Nobel Foundation.
