STOCKHOLM: Americans Harvey J Alter and Charles M Rice, and British scientist Michael Houghton were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology on Monday for the discovery of the Hepatitis C virus.
The head of the Nobel Committee, Thomas Perlmann, announced the winners in Stockholm.
The World Health Organization estimates that there are more than 70 million cases of hepatitis worldwide and 400,000 deaths each year. The disease is chronic and one of the main causes of inflammation and cancer of the liver.
The head of the Nobel Committee, Thomas Perlmann, announced the winners in Stockholm.
The World Health Organization estimates that there are more than 70 million cases of hepatitis worldwide and 400,000 deaths each year. The disease is chronic and one of the main causes of inflammation and cancer of the liver.
The prestigious award comes with a gold medal and a prize money of SEK 10 million (over $ 1,118,000), courtesy of a legacy left 124 years ago by the prize’s creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel.
The medicine award had special significance this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has highlighted the importance of medical research to societies and economies around the world.
The award is the first of six awards to be announced until October 12. The other awards are for outstanding work in the fields of physics, chemistry, literature, peace, and economics.
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