Since its inception in 1945, the Medal of Honour, now under the sponsorship of the HRF, has been awarded only periodically and to truly outstanding individuals whose research and contribution to public policies supportive of R&D in Canada have achieved international recognition and made a truly notable or pivotal contribution to the advancement of knowledge in the health sciences and/or the improvement of therapeutics healthcare.
Year |
Recipients |
Recognition |
| 1945 |
Sir Alexander Fleming |
Discovery of penicillin |
| 1948 |
Dr. Charles H. Best |
Co-discovery of insulin |
| 1950 |
Dr. Edward C. Kendall |
Discovery of cortisone |
| 1952 |
Dr. T. Clarence Routley |
Recognition of his exemplary statesmanship in establishing the World Medical Association |
| 1955 |
Sir Henry Hallett Dale |
Recognition of his many pharmacological contributions to the advancement of medical science |
| 1958 |
Dr. Wilder Graves Penfield |
For his contribution to neurological sciences |
| 1964 |
Dr. Ray Farquhars |
For the clinical assessment of antibiotics service as a leading medical educator and Chairman of the Medical Research Council of Canada |
| 1967 |
Dr. Murray L. Barr |
For his original work on the sex chromatin and developmental anomalies in man |
| 1973 |
Dr. Gustave Gingras |
For the excellence of his contributions to the science of rehabilitation |
| 1989 |
Dr. Lap-Chee Tsui
and Dr. Jack Riordan |
For the discovery of the defective gene causing cystic fibrosis |
| 1992 |
Dr. Raymond U. Lemieux |
For his pioneering research in carbohydrate chemistry leading to the development of effective agents |
| 1994 |
Dr. Henry J.M. Barnett |
For his contribution to the field of cerebrovascular disease, specifically stroke treatment and prevention |
| 1994 |
Dr. David L. Sackett |
For his contributions to the development of rigorous scientific methodology for clinical research |
| 1996 |
Dr. Bernard Belleau
Posthumously |
For the discovery of 3TC |
| 1999 |
Dr. Michel Chretien |
For his contribution to the research and application of converting enzymes |
| 1999 |
Dr. Nabil Sediah |
For his pioneering contributions to research on enzymes and the compounds that produce them |
| 2007 |
Right Honourable Brian Mulroney |
For his contribution to Canada’s health sciences research and development environment and health care innovation. |
