VOA慢速英语2021 辉瑞公司称其新冠口服药有效率达90%

Pfizer said Friday that its experimental¹ antiviral pill for COVID-19 cut hospitalization and death rates by nearly 90 percent in high-risk adults.

辉瑞公司周五称其针对新冠肺炎的实验性抗病毒口服药将高危成人的住院和死亡率降低了近90%。

The American drug-maker said a group of independent scientists observing the study advised halting² it early based on the strength of its results.

这家美国制药商表示，监测这项研究的一组独立科学家基于其研究结果优势，建议提早停止该研究。

Pfizer's study was stopped when 774 adults had been treated for 28 days. Among those who received the Pfizer pill and older antiviral drug ritonavir, three were hospitalized and no one died. Among those who took an inactive substance, or placebo³, there were 27 hospitalizations with seven deaths.

辉瑞的研究在774名成人接受了28天的治疗后被停止。在服用辉瑞口服药和抗病毒老药利托那韦的患者中，有3人住院，无人死亡。在服用安慰剂的患者中，有27人住院，其中7人死亡。

Pfizer said adults in the study were considered high risk for hospitalization. They were unvaccinated and showed signs, or symptoms, of mild to moderate⁴ COVID-19. The study shows an 89 percent reduction⁵ among patients treated within three days of showing symptoms.

辉瑞表示，研究中所涉成人被认为有住院的高风险。他们未接种疫苗，并表现出新冠肺炎的中轻度症状。该研究显示，在出现症状3天内接受治疗的患者中，（其住院和死亡率）下降了89%。

A larger study of 1219 people also shows an 85 percent reduction among those treated within five days. In that study, six people who received the Pfizer medication were hospitalized. No one in that group died. There were 41 hospitalizations and 10 deaths in the placebo group.

一项包含1219人的更大规模的研究还显示，在5天内治疗的人士中，（其住院和死亡率）下降了85%。在这项研究中，有6名接受辉瑞药物治疗的患者住院。该组实验对象无人死亡。在安慰剂组中，有41人住院，10人死亡。

Pfizer's chief scientific officer, Dr. Mikael Dolsten, told the Associated Press, "We were hoping that we had something extraordinary, but it's rare that you see great drugs come through with almost 90 percent efficacy and 100 percent protection for death."

辉瑞公司首席科学官米卡尔·多尔斯登对美联社表示：“我们本希望有一些非凡成就，但是很少能看到有药物具有近90%的疗效和100%的死亡保护。”

Pfizer said it will present the results to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration⁶, or FDA. The company said it will ask the FDA and international health officials to approve the pill as soon as possible. The treatment, called Paxlovid, consists of three pills given twice a day for five days.

辉瑞称其将向美国食品和药品管理局提交这一研究结果。该公司表示将会要求美国食品和药品管理局以及国际卫生官员尽快批准该药物。这种名为Paxiovid的药物需要每天服用两次，每次三粒，并持续5天。

Last month, drugmaker Merck announced study results of an antiviral pill it produced. It cut rates of hospitalization and death by 50 percent. This week, Britain approved that pill for emergency use. The FDA is currently⁷ considering whether to approve it for emergency use in the U.S.

上个月，制药商默沙东宣布了该公司生产的抗病毒口服药的研究结果。它将住院和死亡率降低了50%。本周，英国批准了这种口服药的紧急使用。美国食品和药品管理局正在考虑是否批准其在美国的紧急使用。

Although Merck's pill, called molnupiravir, is further along in the emergency approval⁸ process, Pfizer's drug is more familiar to health officials.

虽然默沙东公司的莫努匹韦口服药在紧急审批流程中处于更领先阶段，但是卫生官员对辉瑞的药物更为熟悉。

Pfizer's pill comes from a family of antiviral drugs used in the treatment of HIV and hepatitis. The drug was first identified during the SARS outbreak in Asia in 2003. Last year, Pfizer researchers started studying it for COVID-19.

辉瑞公司的口服药来自于一族用于治疗艾滋病和肝炎的抗病毒药物。这种药物在2003年亚洲非典爆发期间被首次发现。去年，辉瑞公司的研究人员开始研究将其用于治疗新冠肺炎。

The FDA has already approved several treatments for COVID-19. But all of them must be injected by healthcare workers. Pills can be taken at home and are easier to send around the world.

美国食品和药品管理局已经批准了几种新冠肺炎的治疗药物。但是所有这些治疗药物都需要经由医护人员注射。口服药可以在家中自行服用，并且更容易发往世界各地。

Pfizer said it could produce more than 180,000 treatments by the end of 2021 and at least 50 million by the end of 2022.

辉瑞公司表示，到2021底，它可以生产出18万份治疗药物，到2022年底至少可以生产出5千万份治疗药物。

1 experimental   

adj.实验的，用作实验的，根据实验的

参考例句：

• This trip will be only experimental.这次旅行只是试验性的。
• The experimental farm is near the waterpower station.实验农场靠近水电站。

2 halting   

adj.跛的；蹒跚的；踌躇的；迟疑不决的v.（使）停下来( halt的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• a toddler's first few halting steps 学步幼儿的蹒跚脚步
• Shyness made the girl speak in a halting manner. 因害羞那姑娘说话结结巴巴。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 placebo   

n.安慰剂；宽慰话

参考例句：

• The placebo has been found to work with a lot of different cases.人们已发现安慰剂能在很多不同的病例中发挥作用。
• The placebo effect refers to all the observable behaviors caused by placebo.安慰剂效应是指由安慰剂所引起的可观察的行为。

4 moderate   

adj.适度的，稳健的，温和的，中等的；v.节制，使...稳定，使...缓和；n.稳健的人

参考例句：

• You should moderate your language when children are present.在孩子面前，你说话应该有节制。
• The wind is moderate today.今天的风很柔和。

5 reduction   

n.减少，减低，减缩；减少，减低

参考例句：

• Reduction in income tax will be welcomed with open arms.减少所得税将受到热烈欢迎。
• You will have a reduction for cash.付现金可以打折扣。

6 administration   

n.经营，管理；行政，行政机关，管理部门

参考例句：

• Who is in charge of the administration of your company?你们公司的行政工作由谁负责？
• The teachers are responsible to the school administration.教师向学校行政负责。

7 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

8 approval   

n.赞成，同意；批准，认可

参考例句：

• The audience has expressed its approval.观众已经认可。
• The teacher signed his approval.老师做了手势表示同意。