Noble Prize for Medicine

In News

Two Americans and a Briton won Noble Prize for Medicine for the discovery of the Hepatitis C virus.

In-Detail

  • The 2020 Noble Prize for Medicine is awarded to two Americans and a Briton won for identifying the Hepatitis C virus.
  • Identification of the virus led to limiting the spread of disease and develop drugs to treat it.
  • The discoveries of scientists Harvey J.Alter, Charles M.Rice and Briton Michael Houghton showed that there is a chance of eradicating the Hepatitis C virus with new medicines.
  • For the discovery, the three shared 10million Swedish crowns award.
  • They proved that a blood-borne virus could cause Hepatitis C.
  • Globally, 70 million people are infected with Hepatitis C and 4,00,000 deaths  occur each year due to the virus.
  • This is the second Noble Prize for medicine for Hepatitis C.
  • Baruch Blumberg was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1976 for the discovery of a virus that causes blood-borne hepatitis which came to be known as Hepatitis B.

Research Details

  • Each scientist found the virus in a differently. Dr. Alter found that blood transfusions are spreading a liver disease which wasn’t due to either Hepatitis A or B.
  • Dr Houghton created a clone of a new virus from the fragments found in the blood of an infected chimpanzee.
  • This virus belongs to the Flavivirus family and named it as Hepatitis C.
  • This identification made it possible to develop tests to screen blood bank supplies.
  • This reduced the spread of the disease which can cause liver cancer and cirrhosis.
  • Dr.Rice was able to use genetic engineering to generate a version of the Hepatitis C virus.
  • He demonstrated that it alone could cause symptoms in a chimpanzee comparable to an infection in humans.

Status of Hepatitis C in India

  • India has set a target to eliminate Hepatitis C in the country by 2030.
  • But now, the 10-year Hepatitis C elimination deadline seems difficult to achieve.
  • When the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP) was launched, India has managed to put 50,000 people on treatment since 2018.
  • As three scientists won the 2020 Noble Price for Medicine, it was a reminder to India to reach its elimination target.
  • It is estimated that 0.5-1 per cent of the country’s population suffers from Hepatitis C.
  • Hepatitis disease is hard to detect as it is asymptomatic for a longer period before leading to liver cirrhosis or liver cancer.
  • For each year, the WHO estimated 4 lakh global deaths due to Hepatitis C.
  • Treatment for Hepatitis C requires oral medication for 12 weeks and in severe patients, it may extend to 24 weeks.
  • In Maharashtra, 350 patients have been diagnosed and 180 of them are put on treatment.
  • Since 2016, Punjab has enrolled 87,000 patients and 93% of them have been cured.
  • Punjab has the burden of the disease due to high-drug abuse and injectable drug usage.
  • Before COVID-19, Punjab was recording 900-1000 new cases every month. But in March and April,2020 cases detection fell to 250-300.
  • Now in Punjab treatment centres have been increased in all HIV centres and nine central prisons.
  • Currently, it costs Rs. 3000 to treat a hepatitis C patient.
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