美国国家公共电台 NPR Probe Into Generic Drug Price Fixing Set To Widen
时间：2019-01-16 作者：英语课 分类：2018年NPR美国国家公共电台3月
RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Federal and state investigators 1 say some generic 2 drugmakers have been fixing prices. Nineteen companies have been named so far in a scheme where investigators say consumers were overcharged for a long list of medications. Charles Lane of member station WSHU reports.
CHARLES LANE, BYLINE 3: Prosecutors 4 say they have a good idea about how the scheme worked. Let's say Walgreens or another major buyer needed drugs. The pharmacies 5 wanted the lowest price, so they would ask generic drugmakers to bid.
MICHAEL COLE: And what would happen behind the scenes is the companies would work out in advance who would get the lowest price. And then the other competitors may put in what we would call a cover bid.
LANE: Michael Cole heads the antitrust department at the Connecticut attorney general's office. Through subpoena 6, his team has assembled millions of texts, emails and phone calls between 2012 and 2015. They say the records show executives divvying up customers, setting prices and giving the illusion that generic pharmaceuticals 7 were transacted 8 in an open and fair marketplace.
COLE: Because of price fixing, a couple of things are going to happen. Your premium's going to go up. Your co-pay is going to go up. Or both of them are going to go up. Some of these programs are just straight up taxpayer-funded programs. Medicare, Medicaid has a prescription 9 benefit.
LANE: So far, two executives from Heritage Pharmaceuticals have pleaded guilty to antitrust crimes. Both are now feeding information to prosecutors who say the two rigged prices on, among other drugs, the common antibiotic 10 doxycycline, which shot the price up 8,000 percent. Most companies named in the complaint have denied wrongdoing. The fact that the Department of Justice is involved has caught the attention of class-action lawyers. Attorney Jason Dubner says the allegations are so massive, prices throughout the generic industry could have been affected 11.
JASON DUBNER: Dermatological cures, antidepressants, cardiac care, antifungal, gallbladder - like, you start to get an understanding of just how widespread this alleged 14 conspiracy 15 was to cover so many different types of cures.
LANE: Law firms that specialize in class actions are lining 16 up more companies who may have paid too much, like retail 17 pharmacies, employee unions, insurance companies and even individuals.
DUBNER: Yes, individual consumers would then also have the potential to file notice of claim and potentially recover for their damages.
LANE: Ronny Gal 12 is a market analyst 18 for Sanford Bernstein. He's a bit skeptical 19 that the generic drug industry is as nefarious 20 as the plaintiffs describe. But he says, in an efficient marketplace, generic drug wholesalers should have actually kept these prices in check. But that didn't happen.
RONNY GAL: In a market that has only three or four really large distribution organizations, they are sometimes tempted 21 to maximize their own profits in a way that does not always 100 percent reflect the best interests of their clients.
LANE: This is what investigators are looking at now. In their complaint, they suggest but don't allege 13 that the price fixing conspiracy also involved drug distributors. Connecticut Assistant Attorney General Michael Cole said his office is planning more subpoenas 22.
COLE: It could be more generic manufacturers. It could be more drugs. It could be more entities 23 at different levels in the distribution chain. Could be all of that.
LANE: Knowing only what's in the current lawsuit 24, analysts 25 estimate that an eventual 26 settlement could be around a billion dollars. That number could go as high as $5 billion, especially if more drugs are included.
For NPR News, I'm Charles Lane.
(SOUNDBITE OF TRIO ELF'S "EMPTINESS")
- This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
- The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- I usually buy generic clothes instead of name brands.我通常买普通的衣服，不买名牌。
- The generic woman appears to have an extraordinary faculty for swallowing the individual.一般妇女在婚后似乎有特别突出的抑制个性的能力。
- His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
- We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。
- In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
- You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。
- Still, 32 percent of the pharmacies filled the prescriptions. 但仍然有32%的药剂师配发了这两张药方。 来自互联网
- Chinese herbal pharmacies, and traditional massage therapists in the Vancouver telephone book. 中药店，和传统的按摩师在温哥华的电话簿里。 来自互联网
- He was brought up to court with a subpoena.他接到传讯，来到法庭上。
- Select committees have the power to subpoena witnesses.特别委员会有权传唤证人。
- the development of new pharmaceuticals 新药的开发
- The companies are pouring trillions of yen into biotechnology research,especially for pharmaceuticals and new seeds. 这些公司将大量资金投入生物工艺学研究，尤其是药品和新种子方面。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- We transacted business with the firm. 我们和这家公司交易。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Major Pendennis transacted his benevolence by deputy and by post. 潘登尼斯少校依靠代理人和邮局，实施着他的仁爱之心。 来自辞典例句
- The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
- The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。
- The doctor said that I should take some antibiotic.医生说我应该服些用抗生素。
- Antibiotic can be used against infection.抗菌素可以用来防止感染。
- She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
- His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
- We decided to go with the gal from Merrill.我们决定和那个从梅里尔来的女孩合作。
- What's the name of the gal? 这个妞叫什么？
- The newspaper reporters allege that the man was murdered but they have given no proof.新闻记者们宣称这个男人是被谋杀的，但他们没提出证据。
- Students occasionally allege illness as the reason for absence.学生时不时会称病缺课。
- It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
- alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为
- The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
- He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。
- The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
- Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。
- In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
- These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。
- What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
- The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。
- Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
- Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。
- My father believes you all have a nefarious purpose here.我父亲认为你们都有邪恶的目的。
- He was universally feared because of his many nefarious deeds.因为他干了许多罪恶的勾当，所以人人都惧怕他。
- I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
- I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。
- My company has complied with committee subpoenas by supplying documents confirming all that I have said. 本公司按照委员会的要求，提供了能够证实我刚才发言的文件。 来自辞典例句
- Congressional Investigations: Subpoenas and Contempt Power. Report for Congress April 2, 2003. 金灿荣：《美国国会的监督功能》，载《教学与研究》2003年第2期。 来自互联网
- Our newspaper and our printing business form separate corporate entities. 我们的报纸和印刷业形成相对独立的企业实体。
- The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities. 北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。
- They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
- He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。
- City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
- I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。