中國網站品牌欄目（頻道）
英語學習論壇的“聽力練習區(qū)”正式與大家見面啦。歡迎大家來這里練習聽力，交流經驗，共同進步。
本練習區(qū)的音頻文件選自英語點津的“聽中國日報”、“VOA常速”、“流行金曲”及“名人演講”等欄目，題材豐富，難度各異，適合不同階段的英語學習者。
英語點津會定期發(fā)布音頻材料，大家可以在跟帖中貼出自己聽寫出的音頻文字稿。每個音頻材料的標準文字稿會在帖子發(fā)布兩天后公布。
This is the VOA Special English Development Report.
Counterfeit medicines are a widespread problem in developing countries. Like other counterfeits, they look like real products. But counterfeit drugs may contain too much, too little or none of the active ingredients of the real thing.
People do not get the medicine they need. And in some cases the counterfeits cause tragic problems of their own.
About a year ago, more than 80 children in Nigeria died after being given medicine for teething pain. And more than 20 children in Bangladesh died last year after being given acetaminophen. In both cases, the medications contained ingredients that looked, smelled and tasted like the real thing.
But the medicine in Bangladesh was produced by a local drug manufacturer that used a dangerous substitute to save money. And in the case in Nigeria, an illegal chemical dealer sold counterfeit glycerin to a drug company. That company then used the chemical to make the teething medicine.
The World Health Organization says the problem with counterfeit medicines is especially bad in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The W.H.O. estimates that up to 30 percent of the medicines on sale in many of those countries are counterfeit.
Counterfeit medications are also a problem in the Middle East and in many countries of the former Soviet Union.
The problem is less widespread among industrialized countries. The W.H.O. says counterfeits represents less than one percent of the illegal drug market in countries like the United States, Canada, Japan, and New Zealand.
But the agency also says as much as 50 percent of the medicine sold on the Internet is counterfeit.
Most people have no way to tell if medications are what they seem.
The Center for Medicine in the Public Interest is a group in New York supported in part by the drug industry. It predicts counterfeit sales will reach 75 billion dollars worldwide this year -- nearly double the level of 2005.
Substandard medicines are also a widespread problem in the developing world. How are they different from counterfeits? The legal difference is that counterfeit drugs are made with the purpose of misleading people. Substandard drugs are just poorly made.
And that's the VOA Special English Development Report, written by June Simms. Next week, learn what is being done to fight counterfeit medicines. Transcripts, podcasts and captioned videos of our reports can be found at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Steve Ember.
（來源：VOA 編輯：陳丹妮）
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
