In 2000, Drs. Alter and Houghton were honored with the Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research for "pioneering work leading to the discovery of the virus that causes hepatitis C and the development of screening methods that reduced the risk of blood transfusion-associated hepatitis in the U.S. from 30% in 1970 to virtually zero in 2000."
Alter i Houghton primili su nagradu Lasker za medicinska klinička ispitivanja za "pionirski rad koji je doveo do otkrića virusa uzročnika hepatitisa C i razvoj metoda probira koje su u SAD smanjile rizik od hepatitisa povezanog s transfuzijom krvi s 30 % u 1970. na gotovo nulu u 2000."