Cost of AIDS Drugs

27 对降低爱滋病治疗费用所作的努力

DATE=3-27-01
TITLE=SCIENCE IN THE NEWS #2117 - Cost of AIDS Drugs
BYLINE=Mario Ritter

VOICE ONE:
This is Bob Doughty¹.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Sarah Long with SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, a VOA Special English program about recent developments in (1)science. Today we tell about (2)efforts to reduce the cost of (3)drugs to treat the disease² (4)AIDS.
((THEME))
VOICE ONE:
In Kenya, Father D'Agostino takes care of seventy children who have no parents at Nyumbani Orphange. The children are infected with H-I-V, the (5)virus that causes AIDS. However, the drugs needed to treat these children are very costly³. (6)Kenyans spend an (7)average of three dollars a year on health care. But one year of AIDS drug treatment for one patient costs more than ten-thousand dollars a year in many (8)industrial countries.
Father D'Agostino has decided⁴ to buy AIDS-fighting drugs to treat the children from a company in India called Cipla. The company makes “(9)generic⁵” AIDS drugs. They are copies of AIDS medicines developed by large drug companies.
Last month, the Indian drug company offered developing nations a special price on generic versions⁶ of three drugs. These drugs when used together fight H-I-V. Cipla said it could sell developing nations an AIDS-drug (10)treatment for about six-hundred dollars a year for each (11)patient. The company said it could make the drugs even less costly in the (12)future.
VOICE TWO:
Companies like Cipla can provide drugs that are much less costly than the same drugs developed and sold by large international drug companies.
However, the international drug companies that first developed the AIDS-drug treatments say companies like Cipla are (13)violating their rights.
Governments give companies special rights to make and sell products that they invent. This special permission is called a patent. A patent prevents other companies from making the same drug for a number of years while the (14)patent is in (15)force.
Patents are important because they help companies recover the money they spent in developing new products.Drug companies say the cost of their research is so high that they must (16)charge high prices to pay for their (17)research.
((MUSIC BRIDGE))
VOICE ONE:
Earlier this month, a court (18)case began in Pretoria, South Africa. The case will be important to the future of generic drugs. Thirty-nine major drug companies are (19)attempting to stop a South (20)African law on AIDS drug (21)policy. The law permits South Africa's health (22)minister to import generic copies of AIDS drugs.
The law also permits the health minister to (23)limit patents of companies that make AIDS drugs. Drug makers⁷ complain that the law gives South Africa's health minister unfair power to avoid (24)international patent laws.
The South African AIDS drug law is similar to a law in Brazil. The (25)Brazilian law says that foreign drug companies must make their AIDS drugs in Brazil. The government may seize the patents of companies that do not obey the law.
The Brazilian government also takes part in the research and development of generic AIDS drugs. Brazil now produces an AIDS drug treatment for about three-thousand dollars a year for each patient. It says the cost of the drugs could be reduced to seven-hundred (26)dollars or less.
VOICE TWO:
Drug companies have fought (27)measures that restrict⁸ their patents on AIDS drugs. In Nineteen-Ninety-Eight, the American drug industry succeeded in getting American trade officials to take (28)action. The United States made an official (29)complaint against the Brazilian government to the World Trade Organization.
That same year, the United States placed trade restrictions⁹ on South Africa because of that country's AIDS drug law.
Brazil says that AIDS is a national emergency. It says World Trade Organization rules permit Brazil to take measures to make AIDS drugs less (30)expensive. The W-T-O says countries can make copies of patented products in some (31)situations, such as a national emergency.
VOICE ONE:
The World Trade Organization (32)protects drug patents under the Trade-related (33)Aspects of Intellectual¹⁰ (34)Property Rights rules. These rules are designed to protect the rights of all companies and (35)individuals who invent or (36)create a product to sell.
However, only members of the World Trade Organization must observe its trade rules. Developing nations that are not members may or may not have their own laws concerning¹¹ patents. Each country outside the W-T-O is free to (37)negotiate trade laws with foreign companies.
((MUSIC BRIDGE))
VOICE TWO:
The international aid group, Doctors Without Borders, has called on large drug companies to provide AIDS drugs at much lower prices. The organization has urged large drug-makers to lower their prices by ninety-five percent.
It has also called on the drug companies to (38)release price information. And it has asked the companies to make it easier for developing countries to receive AIDS drugs.
Doctors Without Borders says that the Indian drug-maker Cipla and the Brazilian government have shown that AIDS drugs can be made for much less money.
Oxfam, an aid group based in Oxford¹², England, is also taking part in the effort to reduce the cost of AIDS drugs. Oxfam says it is working to turn public (39)opinion against drug companies that do not lower their prices.
VOICE ONE:
Pressure on large drug companies to reduce their prices for AIDS drugs has already had an effect. Earlier this month, the large drug company Merck announced it would reduce the price of several AIDS drugs by as much as fifty percent. Another drug company, Pfizer, will provide one AIDS drug at no cost to South Africa.
And most recently, the drug company Bristol-Myers Squibb announced it would sell two AIDS drugs below production cost. The company also said it would not try to (40)protect its patent for another AIDS drug. Yale University holds the patent for the drug. However, Bristol-Myers Squibb has an agreement with the university to sell the drug.
Another drug-maker recently has announced it will sell generic drugs at low prices. The Indian drug company Hetero says it will sell AIDS drugs in South Africa at prices lower than those offered by Cipla. The drugs will cost about three-hundred-fifty dollars for each patient for one year.
VOICE TWO:
(41)Competition has caused all companies that make AIDS drugs to lower their prices. Reductions¹³ in the prices of some AIDS drugs have come quickly. Only a few months ago, international drug companies said they could not lower their prices. But competition from generic drug-makers forced large international companies to react.
Within one month, prices of many AIDS drugs have dropped by more than half. However, major drug companies remain prepared to protect their patents in South African courts.
((MUSIC BRIDGE))
VOICE ONE:
High prices are only one problem with AIDS treatment, however. Providing the drugs to the people who need them can be a complex process. Trade laws and patent laws are barriers to providing drugs at any price. Neither humanitarian¹⁴ aid organizations nor generic drug makers are able to give out large amounts of drugs to many different countries. Both groups need governments to help provide drugs to AIDS patients. But many governments are often unable to do so.
For example, South African President Thabo Mbeki until recently (42)denied that H-I-V causes AIDS. President Mbeki also delayed a program designed to fight H-I-V in children of mothers infected with AIDS. The program did not begin until this month. Mister¹⁵ Mbeki recently rejected calls by opposition¹⁶ parties to declare a national emergency in order to provide AIDS treatment for patients.
VOICE TWO:
Experts say the resources needed to fight AIDS must come from governments. Only governments can develop effective health care policies. For example, Brazil has a national health care program in place. Brazil says it has reduced AIDS deaths by fifty-percent. Brazil has even offered to share its technology with other countries. But experts say without established health care systems, drugs alone cannot solve the AIDS (43)crisis.
((THEME))
VOICE ONE:
This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written by Mario Ritter. It was produced by George Grow. This is Bob Doughty.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Sarah Long. Join us again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

(1) science[ 5saiEns ]n.科学, 自然科学, 理科
(2) effort[5efEt]n.努力, 成就
(3) drug[ drQ^ ]n.药, 麻药, 麻醉药, 滞销货
(4) AIDS[eIdz]abbr.爱滋病, 获得性免疫功能丧失综合症(Acquired Immure¹⁷ Deficiency¹⁸ Syndrome)
(5) virus[ 5vaiErEs ]n.[微]病毒, 滤过性微生物, 毒害, 恶毒
(6) Kenyan[5kenjEn]n.肯尼亚人adj.肯尼亚共和国(人)的
(7) average[ 5AvEridV ]n.平均, 平均水平, 平均数, 海损adj.一般的, 通常的, 平均的
(8) industrial[ in5dQstriEl ]adj.工业的, 产业的, 实业的, 从事工业的
(9) generic[ dVi5nerik ]adj.[生物]属的, 类的, 一般的, 普通的, 非特殊的
(10) treatment[ 5tri:tmEnt ]n.待遇, 对待, 处理, 治疗
(11) patient[ 5peiFEnt ]n.病人, 患者adj.忍耐的, 耐心的
(12) future[ 5fju:tFE ]n.未来, 将来, 前途, 远景adj.未来的, 将来的
(13) violate[ 5vaiEleit ]vt.违犯, 亵渎(圣物), 冒犯, 干扰, 违反, 妨碍, 侵犯, 强暴
(14) patent[ 5peitEnt, 5pAtEnt ]n.专利权, 执照, 专利品adj.特许的, 专利的, 显著的, 明白的, 新奇的
(15) force[ fC:s ]n.力量, 武力, 精力, 魄力, 势力, 暴力, [复]军队, 影响力vt.强制, 强加, (用武力)夺取, 促使, 推动, 施加压力
(16) charge[ tFB:dV ]n.负荷, 电荷, 费用, 主管, 掌管, 充电, 充气, 装料v.装满, 控诉, 责令, 告诫, 指示, 加罪于, 冲锋, 收费
(17) research[ ri5sE:tF ]n.研究, 调查vi.研究, 调查case[ keis ]n.事, 病例, 案例, 情形, 场合, 讼案, 容器, (语法)格
(18) case[ keis ]n.事, 病例, 案例, 情形, 场合, 讼案, 容器, (语法)格
(19) attempt[ E5tempt ]n.努力, 尝试, 企图vt.尝试, 企图
(20) African[ 5AfrikEn ]n.非洲人adj.非洲的
(21) policy[ 5pClisi ]n.政策, 方针
(22) minister[ 5ministE ]n.部长, 大臣
(23) limit[ 5limit ]n.界限, 限度, 限制vt.限制, 限定
(24) international[ 7intE(:)5nAFEnEl ]adj.国际的, 世界的n.国际性组织, 国际比赛
(25) Brazilian[brE5zIlIEn]n.巴西人adj.巴西的
(26) dollar[ 5dClE ]n.元, 美元
(27) measure[ 5meVE ]n.尺寸, 量度器, 量度标准, 方法, 测量, 措施vt.测量, 测度, 估量, 分派, 权衡, 调节vi.量
(28) action[ 5AkFEn ]n.动作, 作用, 战斗, 行动, 举动, 行为, (戏剧或书中)的情节, (某一地区、领域或团体中)最能产生效果、最有趣、最有刺激性的活动vt.对...起诉
(29) complaint[ kEm5pleint ]n.诉苦, 抱怨, 牢骚, 委屈, 疾病
(30) expensive[ iks5pensiv ]adj.花费的, 昂贵的
(31) situation[ 7sitju5eiFEn ]n.情形, 境遇, (建筑物等的)位置
(32) protect[ prE5tekt ]vt.保护
(33) aspect[ 5Aspekt ]n.样子, 外表, 面貌, (问题等的)方面
(34) property[ 5prCpEti ]n.财产, 所有物, 所有权, 性质, 特性, (小)道具
(35) individual[ 7indi5vidjuEl ]n.个人, 个体adj.个别的, 单独的, 个人的
(36) create[ kri5eit ]vt.创造, 创作, 引起, 造成
(37) negotiate[ ni5^EuFieit ]v.(与某人)商议, 谈判, 磋商, ,买卖, 让渡(支票、债券等)
(38) release[ ri5li:s ]n.释放, 让渡, 豁免, 发行的书vt.释放, 解放, 放弃, 让与, 免除, 发表
(39) opinion[ E5pinjEn ]n.意见, 看法, 主张, 判断, 评价
(40) protect[ prE5tekt ]vt.保护
(41) competition[ kCmpi5tiFEn ]n.竞争, 竞赛
(42) competition[ kCmpi5tiFEn ]n.竞争, 竞赛
(43) crisis[ 5kraisis ]n.疾病的转折点(或转好或恶化), 决定性时刻, 危机, 危险期, 历史上的紧要关头, [医]危象, 转换期

1 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

2 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

3 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。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 generic   

adj.一般的，普通的，共有的

参考例句：

• I usually buy generic clothes instead of name brands.我通常买普通的衣服，不买名牌。
• The generic woman appears to have an extraordinary faculty for swallowing the individual.一般妇女在婚后似乎有特别突出的抑制个性的能力。

6 versions   

n.译本( version的名词复数 )；版本；（个人对事件的）描述；（原物的）变体

参考例句：

• There are two versions of the game, a long one and a short one. 这游戏有两个版本，一长一短。
• When both versions of the story were collated,major discrepancies were found. 在将这个故事的两个版本对照后，找出了主要的不符之处。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 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》

8 restrict   

n./vt.限制，限定，约束

参考例句：

• He feels this new law will restrict his freedom. 他觉得这一新法律会限制他的自由。
• Don't restrict her proper activities.不要拘束她的正当活动。

9 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

10 intellectual   

n.知识分子；adj.智力的，理智的，有理解力的

参考例句：

• Thinking is an intellectual process.思维是一个智力活动过程。
• Chess is a highly intellectual game.象棋是需用高度智力的运动项目。

11 concerning   

prep.关于，论及

参考例句：

• What do you know concerning this?关于这事你知道些什么？
• Some senior students wrote in asking for information concerning postgraduate studies.一些四年级学生写信询问有关研究生课程的信息。

12 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

13 reductions   

减少( reduction的名词复数 )； 降低； [数学]约简； [摄影术]减薄

参考例句：

• Many companies have announced dramatic reductions in staff. 许多公司已经宣布大幅裁员。
• The forthcoming talks hold out the hope of real arms reductions. 即将举行的会谈给实现真正的裁军带来了希望。

14 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

15 mister   

n.(略作Mr.全称很少用于书面)先生

参考例句：

• Mister Smith is my good friend.史密斯先生是我的好朋友。
• He styled himself " Mister Clean ".他自称是“清廉先生”。

16 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

17 immure   

v.囚禁，幽禁

参考例句：

• He immure himself in a small room to work undisturbed.他自己关在小屋里埋头工作，以免受到骚扰。
• In time,the infection became known as "Acquired Immure Deficiency Syndrome"很快，这种疾病被称为“获得性免疫缺陷综合症”。

18 deficiency   

n.缺乏，不足，缺点，缺陷

参考例句：

• During the war children suffered from a deficiency of food.战争期间孩子们遭受缺乏食物之苦。
• Fortunately,color deficiency is not a serious medical problem.幸运的是，色盲并不是一种严重的医学问题。