My name is Jane. I like art, archery, horror flicks, and vidya games.Scientist Who Discovered Hepatitis C Has Now Discovered Possible Vaccine
Reblogged from fuckyeahmedicalstuff
The word “poetic” could not have been a more apt description for this story. Michael Houghton from the University of Alberta, who led a team of scientists to the discovery of Hepatitis C in 1989 announced earlier today that he has discovered the vaccine. With the diversity of hepatitis C strains, it was long thought to be impossible to develop a vaccine that could target all of them. Ten years of research and development has led to this discovery.
As Houghton admits, there are still more tests to be run to check its efficacy and safety but so far the vaccine candidate is showing great promise.
My father was diagnosed with Hep C when I was 13 years old. Out of precaution I was tested every year for 10 years. I lived in constant fear and worry; the “what-if’s” weighing on my mind. “What if he used my razor and didn’t remember? What if he cut his hand doing farm work, and I grabbed his hand?”
Through interferon therapy he has been in remission for the last 6 years. Though seeing his personality change to something so horrible from the interferon drugs, I’m terrified of getting Hepatitis C. His personality is back to normal now, but it damaged our relationship a great deal. We’re working on it, but it’s going to take a while.
I’m very excited of a possible vaccine, I think it will save a lot of lives and a lot of families.
