Hep C work earns prize

Stockholm: Two American and one Britishborn scientist won the 2020 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for work in identifying the hepatitis C virus, which causes cirrhosis and liver cancer, the awardgiving body said yesterday.

‘‘Prior to their work, the discovery of the Hepatitis A and B viruses had been critical steps forward,’’ the Nobel Assembly at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute said in a statement on awarding the prize of 10 million Swedish krona ($NZ1.69 million).

‘‘The discovery of Hepatitis C virus

. . . made possible blood tests and new medicines that have saved millions of lives.’’ — Reuters