PRESS RELEASE
August 31, 2007

Honda Foundation Announces Honda Prize 2007 Goes to French
Private Surgeon Dr. Philippe Mouret, the Performer of the World-First
Practical Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Who Marked the Beginningof Rapid Spread of Endoscopic Surgery and Its Related Technologic
Innovations in Modern Medicine
The Honda Foundation, co-founded by Soichiro and his younger brother Benjiro Honda,
and headed by Hiromori Kawashima, is pleased to announce the Honda Prize for theyear 2007 will be awarded to the French surgeon Philippe Mouret, M.D.. Dr. Mouret
will be the 28th laureate of the prize.
Historically, surgeons relied primarily on open surgery to remove tumors in theabdomen and the chest. However Dr. Mouret of Lyon successfully removed thegallbladder by using a procedure for the video-assisted laparoscopic cholecystectomy in1987.
The significance of this event is that Dr. Mouret was the first person who applied thelaparoscopic techniques, then the gynecologist’s tool, to an area of general surgery. He
developed his own technique based on the procedures invented by the German
gynecologist Dr. Kurt Semm. Although the German surgeon Dr. Eric Mühe performed asimilar procedure just prior to Dr. Mouret, it is fair to say Dr. Mouret did perform thelaparoscopic cholecystectomy according to the technique still used today, which proved
for the first time an endoscopic procedure could be used safely, long perceived
otherwise, in general surgery. With strong support from the two compatriots Dr.
François Dubois and Dr. Jacques Périssat, Dr. Mouret’s success became the cornerstone
for the development of endoscopic surgery, and its rapid spread revolutionized surgicalthinking and practice.
Dr. Mouret developed his laparoscopic techniques based on the philosophy that asurgeon should treat their patients as minimally invasive as possible. Dr. Mouret chose
laparoscopy because he believed it would drastically reduce postoperative pain andshorten hospital stay with fewer postoperative complications. With its socioeconomic
consequences, including less hospitalization expenses, less medical resources required,and quicker return to work of patients, laparoscopic treatment rapidly spread out from
France into the United States, and then to Japan and the rest of the world.
Endoscopic surgery requires very skilled hands of surgeons and sophisticated surgicalinstruments, but the rapid evolution of operative techniques and associated medicaltechnologies, especially in terms of electronics and computing, has further expanded
endoscopic applications into the treatment of diseases such as lung cancer and stomachcancer. It has also led to the realization of robotic surgery in which computer-controlled
robots provide delicate intraoperative assistance to surgeons.

The Honda Foundation recognizes Dr. Mouret for all these significant contributions tomodern medicine in consistency with his philosophy of “taking pains” to reduce thoseof patients. They undoubtedly deserve the Honda Prize as one of the best examples ofecotechnology※ available today.
The 28th award ceremony for the Honda Prize will be held at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo
on Monday, November 19th this year. In addition to a diploma and medal, Dr. Mouret
will receive a money prize of 10 million yen.

※ Ecotechnology:

Honda Foundation’s guiding principle since 1979, which was coined from ecology andtechnology. This new technologic concept calls for harmonious development and use oftechnology with human beings and their environment.
For more details:
Please visit http://www.hondafoundation.jp/en/ or call the Honda Foundation at+81-3-3274-5125. (Fax: +81-3-3274-5103, Address: 6-20, Yaesu 2-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
104-0028, JAPAN)