美国国家公共电台 NPR--医疗保险考虑为临床试验患者提供昂贵的阿尔茨海默病药物

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Medicare considers covering expensive Alzheimer's drug for those in clinical trials

Transcript¹

Under a proposal announced Tuesday, Medicare would cover the expensive and controversial Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm — but only for those participating in clinical trials.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

The nation's Medicare program for older Americans has announced a plan to limit coverage² of a costly³ and controversial new drug for Alzheimer's disease. NPR's Jon Hamilton reports that the plan would require Alzheimer's patients to enroll⁴ in an approved study of the drug if they want Medicare to pay for it.

JON HAMILTON, BYLINE⁵: The proposed plan would apply to all drugs that remove a toxic⁶ substance called amyloid from the brain. Right now there is only one - a drug called aducanumab. It received conditional⁷ approval from the Food and Drug Administration back in June. Since then, it's been unclear whether Medicare would cover the drug, which may or may not slow the loss of memory and thinking. On Tuesday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed strict limits on coverage. Dr. Lee Fleisher, the agency's chief medical officer, explained the rationale.

LEE FLEISHER: While there may be the potential for promise with this treatment, there is also the potential for serious harm to patients.

HAMILTON: Side effects often include bleeding or swelling⁸ in the brain, so the proposal would limit coverage to patients in approved clinical trials. Fleisher says that would allow Medicare to monitor side effects and see whether aducanumab actually provides a benefit. It would also ensure that only people in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's receive the drug, which costs $28,000 a year. The proposal drew sharp criticism from groups including the Alzheimer's Association, which had pushed for more expansive coverage. Robert Egge, the group's chief public policy officer, says patients should not have to join a research study to get the drug.

ROBERT EGGE: It's very important that they're able to meet with their medical providers and figure out if it's the right treatment for them, and if they decide it is, they should have access to it.

HAMILTON: The association says the decision also discriminates⁹ against Black and Hispanic patients, who are more likely to develop Alzheimer's but less likely to take part in clinical trials. But Sean Dickson of the West Health Policy Center says limiting coverage for aducanumab is appropriate until studies show whether the drug can truly slow the progress of Alzheimer's.

SEAN DICKSON: It's not something that we as taxpayers¹⁰ should be paying for if it's not actually going to help people.

HAMILTON: Medicare officials plan to make a final decision about coverage in April.

Jon Hamilton, NPR News.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

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 enroll   

v.招收；登记；入学；参军；成为会员（英)enrol

参考例句：

• I should like to enroll all my children in the swimming class.我愿意让我的孩子们都参加游泳班。
• They enroll him as a member of the club.他们吸收他为俱乐部会员。

5 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

7 conditional   

adj.条件的，带有条件的

参考例句：

• My agreement is conditional on your help.你肯帮助我才同意。
• There are two forms of most-favored-nation treatment:conditional and unconditional.最惠国待遇有两种形式:有条件的和无条件的。

8 swelling   

n.肿胀

参考例句：

• Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。
• There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。

9 discriminates   

分别，辨别，区分( discriminate的第三人称单数 )； 歧视，有差别地对待

参考例句：

• The new law discriminates against lower-paid workers. 这条新法律歧视低工资的工人。
• One test governs state legislation that discriminates against interstate commerce. 一个检验约束歧视州际商业的州立法。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

10 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。