Resting on Their Laureates? Research Productivity Among Winners of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Jay Bhattacharya, Paul Bollyky, Jeremy D. Goldhaber-Fiebert, Geir H. Holom, Mikko Packalen and David M. Studdert

No 31352, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is the most prestigious and coveted award in medical research. Anecdotal evidence and related research suggest that receiving it may adversely affect research productivity. We compared the post-Nobel research output of laureates (prize years: 1950-2010) with their pre-Nobel output and with the output of a matched control group consisting of winners of the Lasker Award, another highly prestigious medical research prize. Pre-Nobel, laureates’ publications were more voluminous, highly cited, and novel than those of (future) Lasker winners. Post-Nobel, laureates’ productivity decreased sharply, eventually falling below that of Lasker winners on all three measures. These declines may reflect diversionary effects of the Prize, changed incentives, or intrinsically different career arcs for medical researchers who win the Nobel Prize.

JEL-codes: I1 I23 O3 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eff, nep-hea, nep-his and nep-sog
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