A little over a decade ago, I watched my brother in-law Rick Boterf die of complications from infection with the hepatitis C virus that took his health, his vibrant energy and ultimately his life. But then he experienced the slow onset of signs of liver failure, followed by an excruciating five years on the liver transplant list. Ultimately, Rick died in his sleep, a heartbreaking ending for a fine man who had suffered terribly at the hands of this destructive virus. It was only two years later, in October 2014, that medical science provided a cure for hepatitis C infection. And to a significant extent, that hope was justified: These medications have cured about a million people in the United States.

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Persons: Rick Boterf, Rick Organizations: National Institutes of Health Locations: Florida, United States