2006年VOA标准英语-Morning After Contraceptive Pill Now Available

By Melinda Smith
Washington, D.C.
28 August 2006
 
watch Plan B report

American women over the age of 18 can now buy a controversial drug that acts as a contraceptive after unprotected sex.   The drug is called "Plan B" and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved its sale with without a prescription¹.  As VOA's Melinda Smith reports, Plan B is still the focus of strong debate.

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The Plan B package

If the Plan B pill is taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, it blocks ovulation and reduces the odds² of implantation of a fertilized³ egg.  It is considered to be an effective type of birth control.  Some say it is another form of abortion⁴. It took three years for the pill to win approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.  One government official resigned in protest over the delay.

Wendy Wright, of the conservative group Concerned Women for America, opposed the pill's approval for over the counter sale: "Making this drug non-prescription gives a false sense of security."

Pharmacies⁵ have been selling the drug by prescription since 1999.  Young women under the age of 18 must still obtain permission to use the pill from a doctor.  Gynecologist Robin⁶ Kalish of Cornell University's medical center says the Plan B's availability will most affect young women:

"Often women who are 18 to 22 don't have an obstetrician-gynecologist, and therefore don't have somebody to call if they need this medication," said the doctor.

Young women on college campuses are divided about the availability of Plan B:

"I think it should be available for a woman to make that choice whether or not they want to take it," said one student.

"First of all, I wouldn't get myself in that situation and second of all, if I did, I mean...I'd take responsibility for it.  I wouldn't take a pill for it and kill whatever is in there," countered another.

The Plan B pill will range in price from $25 to $40 per box.  Other forms of contraception, which require some advance planning, are much cheaper.

1 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。

2 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

3 Fertilized   

v.施肥( fertilize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The study of psychology has recently been widely cross-fertilized by new discoveries in genetics. 心理学研究最近从遗传学的新发现中受益匪浅。
• Flowers are often fertilized by bees as they gather nectar. 花常在蜜蜂采蜜时受粉。

4 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

5 pharmacies   

药店

参考例句：

• Still, 32 percent of the pharmacies filled the prescriptions. 但仍然有32%的药剂师配发了这两张药方。 来自互联网
• Chinese herbal pharmacies, and traditional massage therapists in the Vancouver telephone book. 中药店，和传统的按摩师在温哥华的电话簿里。 来自互联网

6 robin   

n.知更鸟，红襟鸟

参考例句：

• The robin is the messenger of spring.知更鸟是报春的使者。
• We knew spring was coming as we had seen a robin.我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天要到了。