VOA常速英语2007年-Pfizer Talks with Kano State Government in Nige

By Sarah Simpson
Lagos
07 December 2007

The U.S. pharmaceutical¹ giant, Pfizer, has confirmed in a statement that out of court talks with the Kano State government in northern Nigeria have broken down. Kano State is suing Pfizer for more than $2 billion for a 1996 clinical drug trial that it says killed 11 children. Sarah Simpson has more from Lagos.

In the statement, Pfizer described as "unfortunate" a decision by Kano State officials to call off talks over an alleged² illegal clinical drug test.

Kano state officials had previously³ said discussions intended to reach an out of court settlement with the drug company ended because they were dissatisfied with the way the talks were going. However, in the Pfizer statement, Spokesman Chris Loder said efforts to try the case in the media and intimidate⁴ the company and the courts had impeded⁵ the process.

Kano State is suing Pfizer for over $2 billion for what it says was an unauthorized clinical trial of a meningitis treatment on children in 1996. They say the trials left 11 children dead, and seriously disabled others.

Pfizer says the 11 children died of meningitis. It says those left disabled display symptoms associated with meningitis survivors⁶.

Pfizer has rigorously maintained that it had the full authorization⁷ of the Nigerian federal and state governments before conducting the trial, and that consent was obtained from parents or guardians⁸ of all 200 children involved.

Kano State Attorney General Aliyu Umar disputes this. He says the drug company took advantage of poor, illiterate⁹ Nigerians to carry out tests amid the panic of an epidemic¹⁰.

More than 12,000 Nigerian children died in the 1996 epidemic of meningitis, an infection of the nervous system that can kill a victim within hours.

Umar says any money paid to Kano State by Pfizer will go to help the children and families of those involved in the trial. But to date, the families of the children who died and those left seriously disabled say they have not received any money or assistance from their government, and even if a payout is awarded to Kano State, few of the families expect any of the cash to reach them.

Some groups that monitor governmental accountability say Nigeria is one of the most corrupt¹¹ countries in the world. The country earns billions of dollars each year from oil exports, yet the majority of Nigerians live in poverty.

The Kano civil case against Pfizer continues, with the next hearing scheduled for January 28.

The federal government is also seeking several billion dollars in compensation through federal courts.

1 pharmaceutical   

adj.药学的，药物的；药用的，药剂师的

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。
• We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。

2 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

3 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 intimidate   

vt.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• You think you can intimidate people into doing what you want?你以为你可以威胁别人做任何事？
• The first strike capacity is intended mainly to intimidate adversary.第一次攻击的武力主要是用来吓阻敌方的。

5 impeded   

阻碍，妨碍，阻止( impede的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Work on the building was impeded by severe weather. 楼房的施工因天气恶劣而停了下来。
• He was impeded in his work. 他的工作受阻。

6 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

7 authorization   

n.授权，委任状

参考例句：

• Anglers are required to obtain prior authorization from the park keeper.垂钓者必须事先得到公园管理者的许可。
• You cannot take a day off without authorization.未经批准你不得休假。

8 guardians   

监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者

参考例句：

• Farmers should be guardians of the countryside. 农民应是乡村的保卫者。
• The police are guardians of law and order. 警察是法律和秩序的护卫者。

9 illiterate   

adj.文盲的；无知的；n.文盲

参考例句：

• There are still many illiterate people in our country.在我国还有许多文盲。
• I was an illiterate in the old society,but now I can read.我这个旧社会的文盲，今天也认字了。

10 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

11 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。