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 .

12 July 2022

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 .