VOA慢速英语20060306a

DEVELOPMENT REPORT - How Do Vaccines² Reach the Developing World?By Jill Moss³

Broadcast: Monday, March 06, 2006

I'm Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Development Report.


Guatamalan baby infected with rotavirus, 2004.

Several weeks ago, we reported about two vaccines to protect young children against a common cause of intestinal⁴ infection. Studies showed the vaccines were effective against the disease rotavirus. Rotavirus is a leading killer⁵ of young children in the developing world. More than five hundred thousand die from it each year. Rotavirus can cause severe diarrhea, or watery⁶ wastes. The loss of fluids robs them of salts and body fluids.

Last month, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved one of the vaccines, called RotaTeq. Also, an advisory⁷ committee suggested that RotaTeq be given to all babies. The committee sets vaccination⁸ policy in the United States.

The drug maker⁹ Merck and company manufactures RotaTeq. The company says RotaTeq should be given three times to babies between the ages of six and thirty-two weeks. Merck plans to sell a single treatment of the vaccine¹ for about sixty-two dollars. The complete treatment would cost more than one hundred eighty dollars. This would make RotaTeq one of the most costly¹⁰ vaccines ever sold. Critics say many poor people will suffer because the price is too high.

Merck has stated that it will offer RotaTeq to developing countries at reduced prices. However, the company does not expect any action until a study of the vaccine is completed in Africa and Asia. Merck hopes the study will begin by the end of this year.

Getting new drugs and vaccines into developing countries has become an international issue. Several methods have proven effective. For example, developing countries can import less costly copies of the drugs or negotiate reduced prices with drug makers¹¹. Also, rich nations, aid groups or other organizations can buy drugs at reduced prices. They can then provide them for free or at a low cost to developing countries.

Drug makers can also agree to let manufacturers in developing counties produce copies. One example is the Swiss-based drug maker Roche. Roche has offered technical help to companies in developing countries for production of the drug Saquinavir. It is used to treat persons infected with the virus that causes the disease AIDS.

Merck says it is investigating a number of methods to see how best to get RotaTeq to children in the developing world.

This VOA Special English Development Report was written by Jill Moss. I'm Steve Ember.

1 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

2 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

3 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

4 intestinal   

adj.肠的；肠壁；肠道细菌

参考例句：

• A few other conditions are in high intestinal obstruction. 其它少数情况是高位肠梗阻。 来自辞典例句
• This complication has occasionally occurred following the use of intestinal antiseptics. 这种并发症偶而发生在使用肠道抗菌剂上。 来自辞典例句

5 killer   

n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者

参考例句：

• Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
• The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

6 watery   

adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的

参考例句：

• In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。
• Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏，她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。

7 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

8 vaccination   

n.接种疫苗，种痘

参考例句：

• Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
• Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。

9 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

10 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

11 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》