考研英语经济学人双语精读TE-2023-06-21期英文外刊|胰岛素药价问题解决了吗（PDF+Word版+音频）
Drug pricing：Problemsolved？
Insulin is cheaper, but some struggle to get it at a price they can afford
【1】“MOVE TO THE back if you’ve lost your life savings to the drug companies,”shoutsa woman walking by yourcorrespondent. Aspiritedgroup follows her to the end of a longqueuefor a Senate hearing on insulin prices on May10th. In the room David Ricks of Eli Lilly, a large American drug firm, testifies that insulin, used to regulate blood-sugarlevels fordiabetics, is cheap and even free in someinstances. “If you contact Lilly today, we will ship you a month’s supply at no cost with one question: ‘What’s your address?’” he says. Those dressed ingearwithsloganslike “Insulin for All” shake their heads in disbelief. Drug companies may be offering cheap insulin, but it is not reaching all patients.
【2】The high price of drugs is a long-runninggrievancefor Americans—and insulin is aflashpoint, since more than8m of them depend on it to survive. A standard unit that costs on average $9in other rich countries sets Americans back $99. A study in2021in the Annals of Internal Medicine, a journal, found that1.3m peopleskippedor reduced insulin doses due to cost.
【3】According to GoodRx, a company that helps customers find low drug prices, the average cash price of insulin rose by54% between2014and2019. The price then dropped by11% between January2020and May2023. Despite the recentdip, insulin prices remain high.
【4】For older patients, the cost is now coming down. TheinflationReduction Act, one of President Biden’slandmarklaws, allows Medicare tonegotiatewithmanufacturersfor lower drug prices. It also requires companies to pay back Medicare if prices rise faster thaninflation, and itcappedinsulin prices at $35a month for Medicare.
【5】The new law seems to havenudgeddrug companies into offering lower prices for everyone. On March1st Eli Lilly announced anautomatic$35-a-month cap on all insulins for those with private insurance atselectpharmacies, and a similar programme for theuninsured. The firm also promised to sell one of its non-brandedinsulins for $25avial, from May1st. Sanofi, a French drug company, followed suit with a similar deal for one of its insulins, starting next year. Novo Nordisk, a Danish firm, likewise announced lower prices for2024.
【6】These deals are eye-catching, but when patients turn up atpharmacies, they may find they cannotgrababargain. Shaina Kasper of T1International, anadvocacygroup fordiabetespatients, is a type-1diabetic. She says she tried to buy Eli Lilly’s non-brandedInsulin Lispro, thespecificdrug available from May1st for $25. Herpharmacyin Vermontquotedher $90.
【7】Perhaps Eli Lilly’s programme needs time to work out thekinks, or thepharmacychargedmore on top. But this is not the first time such aschemehas caused problems. For years pharma firms have offered apatchworkof plans to help customers afford insulin and other drugs. Some are for almost anyone, others for the poor oruninsured. But they tend to be difficult for people to access, says Stacie Dusetzina, a drug-pricing expert at Vanderbilt University.
【8】First patients must be aware that theschemeexistsand that they areeligible, which is often unclear. Then they must jump throughhoops. Some needapplications, doctor’s notes, proof ofresidence, taxdocumentsand more.pharmaciesmust also know about the programme andparticipatein it. It can be hard to know whom to blame—the drug companies for thefaultydeals or thepharmaciesforfailingtoimplementthemproperly.
【9】These programmes can also end at any time. “What the Lord giveth, the Lord can taketh away,” says David Mitchell of Patients For Affordable Drugs, anadvocacyorganisation for patients. That is why Mr Mitchell and others are pushing for laws to lower drug prices rather than relying on amishmashof special schemes.
【10】Some states have given up on waiting. Colorado was the first to pass a cap on insulin, at $100a month, in2019. Since then nearly half of states have introduced caps, but these cover only state-regulatedhealth plans. In March Gavin Newsom, thegovernorof California, announced that he had signed acontractwith amanufacturerto make anddistributeinsulin to Californians for $30. Maine, Michigan and Washington may follow. There are also bills in Congress totackleinsulin prices and increase access togenerics. Perhaps insulin’s cost will eventually come down further and become morepredictable.
①短语：
1.原文：Insulin is cheaper, but some struggle toget it at a price they can afford
词典：struggle to 挣扎；尽力做
例句：Some people struggle to distinguish a perfunctory grin from a truly happy smile.
有些人难以区分敷衍的笑和真正快乐的微笑。
2.原文：Those dressed ingear withslogans like “Insulin for All” shake their heads in disbelief.
词典：dressin穿上
例句：Her attention was engaged by the display of the new dress in the shop windows.
她被商店橱窗里陈列的新裙子所吸引。。
3.原文：a French drug company, followed suit with a similar deal for one of its insulins,
词典：follow suit跟风
例句：Undoubtedly, those who followed suit when the market did not reach saturation did make money.
在市场尚未饱和时，那些跟风的商人赚到了钱。
4.原文：hey may find they cannot grab a bargain.
词典：grab a bargain讨价还价
例句：I don"t want to snap anything, just grab a bargain.
我不想弄断什么东西，只是想去买个便宜货。
5.原文：Perhaps Eli Lilly’s programme needs time to work out the kinks,
词典：work out 想出办法；解决
例句：Someone who"s very busy won"t spend a lot of time trying to work out what you"re trying to say!
要是很忙的话，那人不会花多少时间去弄清你想表达什么的。
6.原文：Then they mustjump through hoops.
词典：jump through hoop 越过层层关卡
例句：If there is a critical mass of Android users out there waiting to spend money on apps, developers will jump through hoops to tap that market.
如果Android使用者中有一批挑剔人物等着为应用花钱，开发者们会赴汤蹈火的开发这个市场。
7.原文：That is why Mr Mitchell and others are pushing for laws to lower drug prices rather than relying on a mishmash of special schemes.
词典：relyon依靠；依赖
例句：As far back as the era of classical aulic music, musicians relied on live performance for a living.
远在古典宫廷音乐的年代，音乐家的营生就是靠现场演奏。
8.原文：he had signed a contract with a manufacturer to make anddistributeinsulin to Californians for $30.
词典：distribute to分发；分配给
例句：First responders, members of the National Guard and volunteers are distributing foods to those in need.
现场应急人员、国民警卫队和志愿者们在向有需要的人分发食物。
9.原文：There are also bills in Congress to tackle insulin prices and increaseaccess to generics.
词典：access to 接近；有权使用
例句：It also rolled out a programme whereby research academics will gain access to user data.
该公司还推出了一项计划，让科研人员能够获得用户数据。
②长难句
1.原文：In the roomDavid Ricks of Eli Lilly, a large American drug firm,testifies thatinsulin, used to regulateblood-sugar levels for diabetics, ischeap and even freein some instances.
2.分析：本句结构是主谓宾，主语是DavidRicks，谓语是testifies，宾语是that引导的宾语从句；ofEliLilly与DavidRicks为从属关系，a large American drug firm 是ofEliLilly的同位语，起解释说明的作用；宾语从句结构为主系表，主语为insulin，系动词为is，表语为形容词cheap和free；usedtoregulate修饰insulin，过去分词作后置定语；insomeinstances为状语。
3.译文：在听证会上，美国大型制药公司礼来（Eli Lilly）的大卫·里克斯（David Ricks）作证说，用于调节糖尿病患者血糖水平的胰岛素很便宜，在某些情况下甚至是免费的。
1.原文：Sanofi, a French drug company, followed suitwith a similar deal for one of its insulins, startingnext year.
2.分析：本句结构为主谓宾，主语为Sanofi，a French drug company为主语的同位语，起解释说明作用，谓语为followed，宾语为suit；with a similar deal为伴随状语；starting为非谓语作状语；next year为时间状语。
3.译文：法国制药公司赛诺菲（Sanofi）紧随其后，从明年开始就其一种胰岛素达成了类似的协议。
③写作技巧:
The high price of drugs is a long-running grievance for Americans
美国人对高昂的药价一直积怨已久。
表达： XXbealong-runninggrievance/ problemforsb. “,某件事情对于某人来说一直是个大难题”，写作时引出某个问题的时候可以套用这个句子。
例句：Thereisalong-runningproblemforkidtoquit smartphone addiction.
孩子手机成瘾一直是个大难题。
Although nobody expects America to change its relations with Israel, efforts to tackle that long-running problem may bring wider benefits too.
尽管没人认为美国会改变与以色列的关系，而致力于解决这里长期存在的问题将带来更广泛的利益。
④背景知识：
全球胰岛素三大巨头：美国礼来，丹麦诺和诺德以及法国赛诺菲。“三巨头”相继在美国做了同一件事——降价，且降幅达到让人讶异的65%-78%，这被业内认为胰岛素的高利润时代已过，背后可能是胰岛素热潮让步新型降糖药的实质。
⑤段落大意：
【1】美国胰岛素价格定价听证会
【2】美国人对高价胰岛素积怨已久
【3】胰岛素均价有所下跌
【4】《法案》限制胰岛素价格上限
【5】胰岛素三大巨头开始大幅降价
【6】&【7】出现问题：药企与药房定价不同步
【8】&【9】应对办法
【10】美国各州陆续限定胰岛素价格
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