admin The 2020 medicine laureates was awarded jointly to Harvey J. Alter, Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice for the discovery of Hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis is a global threat to human health and these three scientists have made decisive contribution to the fight against the blood-borne hepatitis. It can cause cirrhosis, liver cancer and other chronic diseases in people around the world. The contribution of these three scientists is a huge achievement in the ongoing fight against this virus. The world health organisation estimates that there are over 70 million cases each year of the Hepatitis C virus and over 4000,000 deaths which proves the seriousness of the disease. Thanks to their discovery, highly sensitive blood tests for the virus are now available and these have essentially eliminated post-transfusion Hepatitis in many parts of the world, greatly improving the global health scenario.
The head of the Nobel Committee Thomas Perimann announced the winners in Stockholm. This prestigious award comes with a gold medal and price money of 10 million Swedish kronor (over $1,118,000), courtesy of a bequest left 124 years ago by the prize’s creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel. The prize is awarded by the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Instituet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Alfred Nobel had an active interest in medical research. Through Karolinska Instituet, he came into contact with Swedish physiologist Jons Johansson around 1890. Johansson worked in Nobel’s laboratory in Sevran, France during a brief period the same year. Physiology was the third prize area Nobel mentioned in his will.
The award is the first of six prizes being announced through October 12th. The other prizes are for outstanding work in the fields of physics, chemistry, literature, peace and economics. This year however, given the prevailing circumstances, the medicine prize carried more significance, because the importance that medical research has or can have on the world and its societies has been particularly highlighted.
Magazine 
