The Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 2020 was awarded to virologists Harvey Alter, Michael Houghton and Charles Rice for discovering the hepatitis C virus.

The Nobel Committee reported that in 1989 scientists discovered in contaminated RNA samples this virus, which was not hepatitis A and B, but caused a similar disease. The discovery of the virus allowed the creation of a diagnostic system to detect the virus as well as drugs that had already saved millions of people.

“‘For the first time in history, the Hepatitis C virus can now be cured. The discoveries of the laureates in the field of medicine revealed the cause of the remaining cases of chronic hepatitis and made it possible to conduct blood tests and use new drugs that have saved millions of lives,” – commented on the decision representatives of the Nobel Committee.

Traditionally, Nobel Week opens with the announcement of winners in the field of physiology or medicine. The names of the nominees in physics will be announced tomorrow, in chemistry – on Wednesday. On Thursday we will find out who received the prize for literature, and on Friday – the Peace Prize.