TIMELINE
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Post-war era welcomes new discoveries
An anti-cancer hepatitis vaccine
Target to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030
The origin of the Hepatitis C virus has been traced back to World War Two, where the treatment of soldiers in chaotic locations such as field hospitals led to perfect conditions for the blood-borne virus to spread between soldiers as they received care.
Dr. Baruch Blumberg won the Nobel Prize for his discovery of the Hepatitis B virus. A few years later, in 1969, he and his team created the Hepatitis B vaccine, which is classed as the first anti-cancer vaccine as it helps to prevent liver cancer.
The WHO Global Health Sector Strategy on viral hepatitis created a plan to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030, with a 65% reduction in mortality by 2030 compared to 2015. One study suggested that up to 4.5mn deaths could be prevented by 2030 with vaccinations, tests and education campaigns.
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July 2022
