评论
打印
A South African company will make vaginal devices that protect against HIV.
一家南非公司将生产预防艾滋病的阴道环。
Medical experts say that should at some point make them less costly and more easily available.
医学专家表示，在某种程度上，这应该会使它们更便宜，更容易获得。
HIV is a virus that causes AIDS, a serious disease that affects the body's natural defense system, or immune system.
艾滋病毒是一种导致艾滋病的病毒，艾滋病是一种会影响人体自然防御系统（即免疫系统）的严重疾病。
The Population Council is an international nonprofit that does medical research.
人口委员会是一个从事医学研究的国际非营利组织。
It announced recently that the South African healthcare company Kiara Health will start making the devices, or rings, from the medical product silicone in the next few years.
该组织最近宣布，南非医疗保健公司Kiara Health将会在未来几年内开始生产硅胶阴道环。
It estimates that 1 million could be produced each year.
每年预计可以生产100万个。
The devices release a drug that helps prevent HIV infections.
这种设备会释放出一种有助于预防艾滋病毒感染的药物。
They are approved by nearly 12 countries and the World Health Organization (WHO).
它们已经得到了近12个国家和世界卫生组织的批准。
The nonprofit group owns the rights to the ring, which are now made by a Swedish company.
该非营利性组织拥有该阴道环的所有权，其目前由一家瑞典公司制造。
About 500,000 rings are currently available to women in Africa at no cost, bought by donors.
目前非洲女性可以免费获得约50万个阴道环，这些阴道环都是由捐赠者购买。
Ben Phillips is a spokesman at the U.N. AIDS agency.
本·菲利普斯是联合国艾滋病机构的发言人。
He said the ring gives women the freedom to use it without anyone else's knowledge or agreement.
他说，这种阴道环可以让女性在无需他人知情或同意的情况下自由使用。
"For women whose partners won't use a condom or allow them to take oral (preventative HIV) medicines, this gives them another option," he said.
他说：“对于那些伴侣不愿使用避孕套也不允许她们口服预防艾滋病药物的女性来说，这给了她们另一种选择。”
A condom is a device worn by a male partner to prevent pregnancy and the spread of sexual diseases.
避孕套是男性伴侣佩戴的用于防止怀孕和性病传播的装置。
HIV remains the leading cause of death among women of reproductive age in Africa.
艾滋病仍然是非洲育龄女性死亡的主要原因。
And 60 percent of new infections are in women, information from WHO shows.
世卫组织的信息显示，60%的新感染者是女性。
The ring releases the drug dapivirine in small amounts over a month.
这种阴道环会在一个月内释放少量达匹韦林。
It currently costs $12 to $16, but experts expect the price to drop once it is widely produced in Africa.
目前它的售价为12至16美元，但专家预计，一旦在非洲广泛生产，它的价格将会下降。
Developers are also working on a version that will last up to three months, which should also lower the yearly cost.
研发者还在开发一款最长可持续使用三个月的阴道环，这也应该会降低年成本。
WHO has suggested the ring be used as an additional tool for women at high risk of HIV.
世卫组织建议将这种阴道环作为艾滋病高感染风险女性的额外预防工具。
Officials in more than 12 African countries, including South Africa, Botswana, Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe have also approved it.
包括南非、博茨瓦纳、马拉维、乌干达和津巴布韦在内的超过12个非洲国家的官员也批准了这个装置。
WHO pointed to two studies in its approval, saying the ring reduced women's chances of getting HIV by about a third.
世界卫生组织在其批准文件中提到了两项研究，称该阴道环将女性感染艾滋病毒的几率降低了约三分之一。
While other research has suggested the risk could be dropped by more than 50 percent.
而其他研究表明，这种风险可能会降低50%以上。
I'm Gregory Stachel.
格雷戈里·施塔赫尔为您播报。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
