VOA慢速英语20060531a

HEALTH REPORT - Cervical Cancer Vaccine¹ Moves Toward U.S. ApprovalBy Cynthia Kirk

Broadcast: Wednesday, May 31, 2006

I'm Barbara Klein with the VOA Special English Health Report.


A Merck research factory in Rahway, New Jersey²

A vaccine to protect against cervical cancer has moved toward approval in the United States. The drug company Merck developed the vaccine, called Gardasil. A federal advisory³ committee accepted Merck's findings that Gardasil is safe and effective for females age nine to twenty-six.

A final decision from the Food and Drug Administration is expected by June eighth.

The World Health Organization says almost half a million women each year develop cervical cancer. More than half of them die from it. Cervical cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in women in developing countries.

Gardasil is designed to protect against infection with human papillomavirus, or HPV. The vaccine blocks two kinds of HPV that experts say are responsible for seventy percent of all cervical cancers. The vaccine is also designed to protect against two other forms that cause most cases of genital warts⁴.

HPV is a common infection among sexually active people. The virus is spread by skin-to-skin contact. Experts say most cases go away within a few years. Many people never show signs of infection.

But in some people, the virus remains⁵ for many years. And in some women it can lead to cervical cancer.

The new vaccine does not prevent all forms of HPV linked to cervical cancer. And it is not a replacement⁶ for medical examinations.

Experts say a yearly Pap test is the best way to find cervical cancer cells early, when they can be treated most successfully. The test has sharply reduced rates of cervical cancer in the United States and other countries where it is widely used.

Merck says Gardasil is effective for at least five years. It says the vaccine works best in those who are not yet sexually active.

The company is also testing Gardasil in boys and men.

The vaccine is given in three injections over a six-month period. Gardasil is expected to cost three hundred to five hundred dollars. There are concerns that the price could limit its use. Also, some conservative groups have expressed concern that the vaccine could lead young people to become more sexually active.

Later this year, the drug maker⁷ GlaxoSmithKline plans to seek approval of a cervical cancer vaccine called Cervarix.

This VOA Special English Health Report was written by Cynthia Kirk. I'm Barbara Klein.

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 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

3 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。

4 warts   

n.疣( wart的名词复数 )；肉赘；树瘤；缺点

参考例句：

• You agreed to marry me, warts and all! 是你同意和我结婚的，我又没掩饰缺陷。 来自辞典例句
• Talk about trying to cure warts with spunk-water such a blame fool way as that! 用那样糊涂蛋的方法还谈什么仙水治疣子！ 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

6 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

7 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。