Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver, a condition that is is often caused by the hepatitis virus. There are five main strains of the hepatitis virus, referred to as A, B, C, D, and E. In the United States, hepatitis B and C are the most common and can cause severe liver disease, liver relaetd cancers, and death. In fact, it is estimated that 1.3 million people die world-wide each year due to liver disease and cancer caused by these two strains.

As a scientist at the National institute of Health (NIH), Dr. Baruch Blumberg was studying blood samples from people around the world when he found a strange protein in the blood of someone infected with hepatitis. This protein, called the “Australia antigen,” turned out to be a key part of the hepatitis B virus. In the mid 1960’s, Dr. Blumberg moved from the NIH to the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, PA and continued his research, gaining deeper understanding of how the virus worked and how it spread.

With continued support from the NIH, Dr. Blumberg and a colleague at Fox Chase, Dr. Irving Millman, developed the first blood test to detect hepatitis B. The blood banks began using the test in 1971 to screen blood donations and the risk of hepatitis B infections from a blood transfusion decreased by 25 percent. Four years after discovering the virus, Drs. Blumberg and Millman developed the first hepatitis B vaccine. Having a vaccine against hepatitis—especially hepatitis B is incredibly important because it protects people from a serious, often silent disease that can cause lifelong problems or even death. Many people who get infected don’t feel sick at first, but the virus can stay in their body for years. Over time, it can cause liver damage, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), liver failure, or liver cancer. In fact, hepatitis B is one of the leading causes of liver cancer worldwide.

Thanks to Dr. Blumberg’s research and the government’s support, millions of people around the world have been protected from hepatitis B. The vaccine has helped prevent deadly liver disease and cancer, saving countless lives.