Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded to US-UK trio for discovery of Hepatitis C virus
Last edited Mon Oct 5, 2020, 07:58 AM - Edit history (4)
Source: CNN
(CNN) The Nobel Prize in Medicine has been jointly awarded to Harvey J. Alter, Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice for the discovery of Hepatitis C virus. The award is one of the most sought-after global accolades and grants entry into one of the most prestigious clubs in the world. The Nobel Assembly said in a news release Monday that the three scientists "made seminal discoveries that led to the identification of a novel virus." t said the trio had "made a decisive contribution to the fight against blood-borne hepatitis, a major global health problem that causes cirrhosis and liver cancer in people around the world."
Globally, an estimated 71 million people have chronic hepatitis C virus infection, according to the World Health Organization. A significant number of those who are chronically infected will develop cirrhosis or liver cancer. Gilbert Thompson, professor emeritus of clinical lipidology at Imperial College London, told CNN: "It's long overdue. Hep C arguably has caused just as much, if not more deaths, than the current coronavirus pandemic. It was a major problem and this (work) was an enormous step forward."
Secretary of the Nobel Assembly Thomas Perlmann said he had to call the winners several times before he finally reached Alter and Rice. "I woke them up and they were very surprised, they were definitely not sitting by the phone because I called them a couple of times before without any answer," he said after making the announcement. But once I reached them they were extremely surprised and really happy and speechless almost, so it was really fun to talk to them."
Link to tweet
The methodical studies of transfusion-associated hepatitis by US scientist Alter demonstrated that an unknown virus was a common cause of chronic hepatitis. The methodical studies of transfusion-associated hepatitis by US scientist Alter demonstrated that an unknown virus was a common cause of chronic hepatitis. oughton -- a British scientist -- used an untested strategy to isolate the genome of the new virus that was named Hepatitis C. Rice, another American, provided the final evidence showing that Hepatitis C virus alone could cause hepatitis.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/05/health/nobel-prize-2020-winner-medicine-scn-intl/index.html
TWEET TEXT IN OP
@NobelPrize
For the first time in history, the Hepatitis C virus can now be cured. The 2020 Medicine Laureates' discoveries revealed the cause of the remaining cases of chronic hepatitis and made possible blood tests and new medicines that have saved millions of lives.
#NobelPrize
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5:36 AM · Oct 5, 2020
Congrats!
Original article and headline -
(CNN)The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been jointly awarded to Harvey J. Alter, Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice "for the discovery of Hepatitis C virus."
The award is one of the most sought-after global accolades and grants entry into one of the most prestigious clubs in the world.
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