Taggart's Syndrome

Taggart's Syndrome was a genetic disorder in humans discovered sometime prior to the mid 22nd century. There was no cure as as 2155, but it could be managed through the regular use of Rigelian gene therapy. Untreated, Taggart's Syndrome resulted in death by the age of twenty. John Frederick Paxton suffered from Taggart's Syndrome, and used the Rigelian gene therapy, despite his vocal opposition to human interaction with extraterrestrials. 

In an alternate timeline, Paxton gave up the Rigelian gene therapy following his incarceration and succummed to Taggart's, making himself a martyr to his cause.