VOA标准英语2012--Experts Say Poor Quality Drugs Hamper Malaria Fight

 

Experts Say Poor Quality Drugs Hamper¹ Malaria² Fight

Experts have known for years that fake, poor quality, and improperly-packaged drugs pose a serious public health threat in many developing countries. 

Now, a new study has found that many people infected with malaria in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia are not getting treated because of counterfeit⁴ or poor quality antimalarial drugs. 

The lead author of the study, researcher Gaurvika Nayyar of the National Institutes of Health, said in a Skype interview the problem is widespread.

“While we have limited information [about] where these drugs are made and how they are produced... we do know that they are rampant⁵ in local shops, grocery stores, and even hospitals,” said Nayyar.

Nayyar said the survey discovered that a high percentage of the sampled drugs failed chemical analysis, had fake packaging or improper³ labeling or were being sold years beyond their expiration⁶ dates.

“While poor quality anti-malarial were available in seven south East Asian countries and 21 sub-Saharan African countries - this is just a tip of the iceberg,” said Nayyar.

Malaria kills as many as one million people each year. 

Scientists and public health experts say the single most important way to prevent these fatalities⁷, and fatalities from other drug-treatable diseases, would be a regulatory system to protect the integrity of the global drug supply chain.

United States Pharmacopeial Convention [USP] is a nonprofit standard-setting organization that works to ensure the quality of medicines and food ingredients. Patrick Lukulay directs USP's drug-quality program.

“In every country there has to be a system to regulate. Without regulation, everything is at play and everything is possible. So regulators have to be strengthened. They have to be given an enabling environment so that they can really clamp down on illicit⁸ trade,” said Lukulay.

He said poor-quality drugs exist not only because the local manufacturers fail to maintain high standards, but also because some drug makers⁹ are pursuing quick profits. He said that in either case, these unreliable drugs are a menace to global health efforts.

“I believe that this has really led to the prolongation of neglected diseases in developing countries, whether it's malaria, TB or HIV/AIDS and the problem seems to be growing every day," said Lukulay.

Experts insist that drug makers found to have poor quality-control practices should be prosecuted¹⁰. And standard-setting groups, such as USP, recommend clearer guidelines for regulators and better technologies for detecting poor drugs and flushing them quickly out of the market. 

1 hamper   

vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子

参考例句：

• There are some apples in a picnic hamper.在野餐用的大篮子里有许多苹果。
• The emergence of such problems seriously hamper the development of enterprises.这些问题的出现严重阻碍了企业的发展。

2 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

3 improper   

adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的

参考例句：

• Short trousers are improper at a dance.舞会上穿短裤不成体统。
• Laughing and joking are improper at a funeral.葬礼时大笑和开玩笑是不合适的。

4 counterfeit   

vt.伪造，仿造；adj.伪造的，假冒的

参考例句：

• It is a crime to counterfeit money.伪造货币是犯罪行为。
• The painting looked old but was a recent counterfeit.这幅画看上去年代久远，实际是最近的一幅赝品。

5 rampant   

adj.(植物)蔓生的；狂暴的，无约束的

参考例句：

• Sickness was rampant in the area.该地区疾病蔓延。
• You cannot allow children to rampant through the museum.你不能任由小孩子在博物馆里乱跑。

6 expiration   

n.终结，期满，呼气，呼出物

参考例句：

• Can I have your credit card number followed by the expiration date?能告诉我你的信用卡号码和它的到期日吗?
• This contract shall be terminated on the expiration date.劳动合同期满，即行终止。

7 fatalities   

n.恶性事故( fatality的名词复数 )；死亡；致命性；命运

参考例句：

• Several people were injured, but there were no fatalities. 有几个人受伤，但没有人死亡。
• The accident resulted in fatalities. 那宗意外道致多人死亡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 illicit   

adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

9 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》

10 prosecuted   

a.被起诉的

参考例句：

• The editors are being prosecuted for obscenity. 编辑因刊载污秽文字而被起诉。
• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。