英语学习网

Study English at Home

首页 | 托福(TOEFL) | 雅思(IELTS) | GMAT | GRE | 签证/留学/移民 | 工作求职 | 英语资料 | 英语作文 | 英语考试 | 英语听力 | 英语口语
当前位置:首页 > 英语资料 > 正文
WHO urges action to stop counterfeit medicines
文章来源: 文章作者: 发布时间:2006-05-23 字体: [ ]

 

 

 Listen to this story

I'm Faith Lapidus with the VOA Special English Health Report.

The World Health Organization says more effort is needed to stop the trade in counterfeit medicines. The United Nations health agency says countries must work together to fight the growing threat from drugs that are not what they seem.

W.H.O. officials discussed the problem during a recent high-level meeting in Rome. Delegates at the conference included representatives of government agencies, consumer groups and the drug industry.

Counterfeit medicines trick people into believing they are taking something that will make them well. Instead, it might make them sicker or even kill them.

The World Health Organization says counterfeit drugs are part of a wider problem of low-quality medicines. But it says the difference is that they are purposely misidentified. Some contain no active substances. Some contain dangerous substances. Counterfeit drugs can also add to the problem of drug resistance.

The World Health Organization says counterfeit medicines are present in all countries. They are thought to represent ten percent of drug sales worldwide.

A group in the United States estimates that profits from counterfeit drug sales will reach seventy-five thousand million dollars by two thousand ten. The Center for Medicines in the Public Interest estimated the profits last year at almost forty thousand million dollars.

Criminals often target high-demand drugs such as antibiotics, malaria drugs and painkillers. Also, with recent fears about bird flu, there have been reports of counterfeiting of the antiviral drug Tamiflu. Experts say the counterfeit drug problem is worst in developing countries.

W.H.O. officials say identifying counterfeit medicines is getting more difficult. Criminals are improving their methods. Representatives at the meeting in Rome agreed to create an international expert group. Among its duties, the new group will try to strengthen national laws and establish better systems to identify counterfeit drugs.

Counterfeit medicines are often sold on the Internet. But the Internet can also be used to fight the problem. Last year, the W.H.O. set up a Web-based system to gather reports on what it calls "drug cheats" in the western Pacific area. It says this system should be expanded to all areas.

This VOA Special English Health Report was written by Cynthia Kirk. Read and hear our reports at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Faith Lapidus.


↑返回顶部 打印本页 关闭窗口↓
用户名: 新注册) 密码: 匿名评论 [所有评论]
评论内容:(不能超过250字,需审核后才会公布,请自觉遵守互联网相关政策法规。
§最新评论:
推荐文章
·两遍阅读法 顺利通过CET各级考试
·如何顺利通过CET各级考试
·各省市CET广播频率集合
·12月24日CET考试温馨提示
·考试技巧可以助你顺利过CET
·细节决定成败,CET应试技巧助你拿
·赴美申请提前半年ACT、SAT很关键
·解析美国高考SAT 拿满分不是不可
热点文章
·两遍阅读法 顺利通过CET各
·英语大师们谈英语学习成功
·俞敏洪从100套真题中提炼
·阅读技巧加油站
·新东方作文主题预测
·英语历年真题词汇手册(199
·三十五个经典句型 帮你过
·如何顺利通过CET各级考试
英语学习
·两遍阅读法 顺利通过CET各
·五点备战“复合式听写”
·细节决定成败,CET应试技巧
·写作错误与分析
·英语大师们谈英语学习成功
·教育部大学英语分数制与题
·俞敏洪从100套真题中提炼
·阅读技巧加油站
www.0641.com 英语学习网