2015年ESL之就医和人际交往 03 Waiting for Drug Approval

Waiting for Drug Approval 

Florence: A package came for you. I think it’s from overseas. 

Alexander: Oh, those are my drugs. 

Florence: You’re buying your medication from overseas? 

Alexander: I have no choice. This drug isn’t FDA- approved yet. 

Florence: Isn’t it dangerous to take a drug that isn’t approved? 

Alexander: Not if it’s been approved in other countries. This drug is considered experimental here, but has been used in other countries safely for years. 

Florence: But shouldn’t you just wait? How long could the process take anyway? 

Alexander: You have no idea. It can take years for a drug to be approved here, especially those that aren’t fast- tracked. 

Florence: That’s hard to believe. 

Alexander: It’s true. First, it has to be tested on animals or in a lab, and then it has to go through clinical trials. Only then is it put through a rigorous review by the FDA, which alone can take years. 

Florence: You’re right. I had no idea. 

Alexander: In the meantime, I’m suffering needlessly. 

Florence: You can’t legally import the drug for your own use, right? 

Alexander: That’s right, but I feel like I have to circumvent¹ the law to get the medicine I need. 

Florence: So how does it feel to be an outlaw²? 

Alexander: Um, healthy? 

 

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse 

1 circumvent   

vt.环绕，包围；对…用计取胜，智胜

参考例句：

• Military planners tried to circumvent the treaty.军事策略家们企图绕开这一条约。
• Any action I took to circumvent his scheme was justified.我为斗赢他的如意算盘而采取的任何行动都是正当的。

2 outlaw   

n.歹徒，亡命之徒；vt.宣布…为不合法

参考例句：

• The outlaw hid out in the hills for several months.逃犯在山里隐藏了几个月。
• The outlaw has been caught.歹徒已被抓住了。