The prize 2020 Nobel Prize for Medicine it was assigned in live streaming to three virologists: the British Michael Houghton of the University of Alberta, Canada; US Harvey J. Alter of the Maryland Institute of Health; and Charles M. Rice, of Rockefeller University in New York. The three scientists were awarded for their decisive contribution in the discovery of the virus responsible for hepatitis C, one of the most widespread infections in the world.
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The World Health Organization estimates that more than 70 million people have been infected with hepatitis C and that at least 400,000 people die from the disease every year. Thanks to the work of the three virologists it was possible to develop a blood test to identify it and drugs that have saved the lives of millions of people.
This is the first prize linked to studies on a virus after the one in 2008 which awarded the French Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier for discovering the virus responsible for AIDS and the German Harald zur Hausen for his work on the role of the papilloma virus in the development of cervical cancer.
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