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古巴這個加勒比海島國雖然人均收入低，但政府的大力挹注與國民的高度創造力為國家帶來許多突破性發明，尤其在醫療和生物科技投注無數心力，更研發出具有前景的肺癌治療性疫苗。美國的研究中心直到最近兩國破冰之後，終於有可能將此疫苗引進美國。進入本文前，請先想想以下單字： a) 禁令 b) 先進、時代尖端 c) 平均壽命 CUBA has for several years had a promising therapeutic vaccine against lung cancer. The 55-year trade a) embargo led by the US made sure that Cuba was mostly where it stayed. Until—maybe—now. 古巴擁有高度前瞻性的肺癌疫苗多年，而由美國主導長達55年的兩國貿易禁令使得這項疫苗的向外發展一直以來受到限制。如今，或許會有改變！ The Obama administration has, of course, been trying to normalize relations with the island nation. During New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s visit to Havana, Roswell Park Cancer Institute finalized an agreement with Cuba’s Center for Molecular Immunology to develop a lung cancer vaccine and beginclinical trials in the US. Essentially, US researchers will bring the Cimavax vaccine stateside and 1) get on track for approval by the Food and Drug Administration. 歐巴馬政府一直致力於改善美國和古巴關係。紐約州州長安德魯·庫莫（Andrew Cuomo）拜訪哈瓦那期間，正式敲定紐約Roswell Park癌症研究中心與古巴分子免疫學中心間的協議合作，以發展肺癌疫苗與開始在美國做臨床測試。這項協議計劃將Cimavax疫苗引入美國本土，申請美國食藥署的使用核准。 “The chance to evaluate a vaccine like this is a very exciting prospect,” says Candace Johnson, CEO of Roswell Park. She’s excited, most likely, because research on the vaccine so far shows that it has low toxicity, and it’s relatively cheap to produce and store. 「能有機會評估這樣的疫苗真是令人振奮！」，Roswell Park癌症研究總裁Candace Johnson說。她會這麼興奮其來有自，目前為止研究顯示出這種疫苗毒性低，且它在製造與保存上相對來說較為便宜。 How did Cuba end up with a b) cutting edge immuno-oncology drug? Though the country is justly famous for cigars, rum, and baseball, it also has some of the best and most inventive biotech and medical research in the world. That’s especially notable for a country where the average worker earns $20 a month. Cuba spends 2) a fraction of the money the US does on healthcare per individual; yet the average Cuban has a c) life expectancy 3) on par with the average American. “They’ve had to do more with less,” says Johnson, “so they’ve had to be even more innovative with how they approach things. For over 40 years, they have had a pre-eminent immunology community.” 究竟古巴是怎麼研發出這麼走在時代尖端的腫瘤免疫藥呢？古巴最熟為人知的大概就是他的雪茄、萊姆酒和棒球，這裡的勞工平均月薪只有20美元，然而卻擁有世界上最頂尖、最具研發創造力的生物科技技術與醫療研究。古巴在醫療費用的支出只有美國在醫療照護支出的一小部分，然而古巴人的平均壽命長度和美國人不相上下。「古巴人必須在最有限的資源環境裡生產更多。為了達到目標他們必須更有創造力，古巴擁有卓越的防疫團隊已經有40年的時間了。」Johnson 這麼說。 Lung cancer is the fourth-leading cause of the death in Cuba. Medical researchers at the Center for Molecular Immunology worked on Cimavax for 25 years before the Ministry of Health made it available to the public—for free—in 2011. Each shot costs the government about $1. A Phase II trial from 2008 showed lung cancer patients who received the vaccine lived an average of four to six months longer than those who didn’t. That prompted Japan and some European countries to initiate Cimavax clinical trials as well. 肺癌在古巴國民致死原因裡高居第四名。2011年，古巴衛生署終於讓Cimavax的疫苗公諸於世，免費供人民使用。而分子免疫學中心的醫療研究團隊在此之前，已投注了25年的時間。目前每一注疫苗政府大約支出1美元的費用。自2008年起，第二階段的測試顯示，接種此疫苗的肺癌病患比沒有接種的病患平均多活了約四到六個月的時間。這樣的測驗結果促使日本和其他許多歐洲國家紛紛跟進，展開對Cimavax疫苗的臨床實驗。 Despite decades of economic sanctions, Fidel and Raul Castro made biotechnology and medical research, particularly preventative medicine, a priority. 儘管歷經多年的經濟制裁，古巴前任與現任總統卡斯楚兄弟兩人仍然將生物科技與醫療研究，特別是預防性醫學，列為優先發展事項。 口語詞彙 1) Get on track Track 是軌道的意思。Get on track 在軌道上進行，意思有如期，按計劃走的意思。 Please get the discussion on track in the meeting. Time is limited. 會議中的討論請按照計劃進行，時間寶貴。 2) A fraction of 一部份 Fraction 是小碎片，片段的意思。A fraction of 是一小部分。a fraction of second 意思是一瞬間。 The government spent a fraction of taxes on healthcare. 政府花部份的稅收在醫療保健。 3) On par with等值，同價 Par 有average 平均，同值的意思。 On par with 意思就是和.. 一樣好，..等同..的意思。 The handmade pie is on a par with the best in the world. 這手工做的派和世界上最棒的派一樣好吃。 | 
