Question

    “New and improved.” These words are put in so many marketing campaigns that we tend to accept them as linked. But many new drugs aren’t an improvement over the best existing drug for a given condition, and the fast drug-approval processes in recent years have added to the uncertainty about their advantages.

A recent report in the British Medical Journal, “New Drugs: Where Did We Go Wrong and What Can We Do Better?” analysed the issue. The authors looked at 216 drugs approved between 2011 and 2017; 152 were newly developed, and 64 were existing medicine approved for new uses. Only 25% offered a major advantage over the established treatment, and fully 58% had no confirmed added benefit to reduce symptoms or improve health-related quality of life.

“This doesn’t mean there’s no added benefit,” lead author Wieseler said. “It just means we have no positive proof. Either we have no studies or have studies not good enough.” Wieseler and her co-authors work for a German agency which evaluates new treatments and advises on whether the country’s health care system should pay a premium (补贴) for them. If payers think a new drug isn’t better than an existing drug, these agencies will require that hospitals try the cheaper drug first.

Germany’s HTA demands trials to prove that a new treatment beats the existing standard. This isn’t always practical. For one thing, such studies can be expensive and time-consuming, with no guarantee of success. Secondly, it can discourage companies from attempting to develop new alternatives. This is already happening. Drug developers are increasingly focused on areas where there are no good treatments to compete with, such as rare diseases.

This lack of meaningful data to guide patients is a major point of Wieseler’s paper. With accelerated approval, there are more products approved, with a greater amount of uncertainty about risks and benefits. But there are other solutions besides drug trials. One idea is to require postmarket studies to track the effectiveness of newly approved drugs—a step too often neglected.

1.What message does the recent report convey?

A.Improved drugs have advantages over old ones.

B.The approval processes for new drugs are too fast.

C.Many new drugs have no improved advantages.

D.Almost half the drugs approved target the special cases.

2.What’s the disadvantage of Germany’s HTA trial demands?

A.Making drug companies think of illegal ways to cut cost.

B.Holding companies back from improving existing drugs.

C.Getting patients to depend on the government for support.

D.Pushing companies to try alternatives for existing drugs.

3.What is the best title for the text?

A.The Advantage of Existing Drugs

B.The Great Potential of New Drugs

C.People's Preference for New or Old Drugs

D.A Dilemma with New Drug Alternatives

Answer

1.C

2.B

3.D

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章介绍了药品市场上的新药和现有药物相比究竟有没有治疗疾病方面的优势？以及如何来验证新药存在的优势？

1.

细节理解题。根据第二段关键句“The authors looked at 216 drugs approved between 2011 and 2017; 152 were newly developed, and 64 were existing medicine approved for new uses. Only 25% offered a major advantage over the established treatment, and fully 58% had no confirmed added benefit to reduce symptoms or improve health-related quality of life.”中列举的数据可知，作者调查的从2011到2017的216种被批准的药物，只有25%的药物比现有的治疗药物有优势，有58%的药物没有证实对减轻症状或改善与健康相关的生活质量有明显的好处。由此可以推断出与现有药物相比，许多新药并没有被改进的优点。故选C项。

2.

细节理解题。根据第四段关键句“Secondly, it can discourage companies from attempting to develop new alternatives.”可知，这种测试可能会阻止公司开发新的替代品。也就是说这种测试可能会阻碍公司改进现有药物。故选B项。

3.

主旨大意题。通过文章大意可知，文章介绍了药品市场上的新药和现有药物相比究竟有没有治疗疾病方面的优势？以及如何来验证新药存在的优势？根据第一段But many new drugs aren’t an improvement over the best existing drug for a given condition, and the fast drug-approval processes in recent years have added to the uncertainty about their advantages.但是，许多新药并没有在现有的最佳药物基础上有所改进，而且近年来的快速药物审批过程也增加了它们优势的不确定性。第四段关键句This doesn’t mean there’s no added benefit, lead author Wieseler said. “It just means we have no positive proof. Either we have no studies or have studies not good enough.可知，新药现在面临的主要问题是没有确凿的证据来证明它是有更大的益处的。由此可以推断出，短文的最佳标题为“新药替代品所面临的问题和困境。”故选D项。