万花筒 2008-07-02&-07-03 药店大卖过期药！

Our probe has uncovered an egregious¹ pattern at two of the largest chains in our state, CVS and Rite² Aid. Our investigators³ have purchased hundreds of expired products, and these are just some examples, over-the-counter medicines, baby formula, milk and eggs.

 

Drug products have expiration⁴ dates for good reason. A drug’s effectiveness can diminish over time as chemicals lose their potency⁵. In fact, the FDA considers it so important that it advises the public to go through their medicine cabinet on a regular basis and to throw out any drugs that are past their expiration date.

 

We determined⁶ that CVS and Rite Aid posed more of a threat to the consumer in terms of the numbers and frequency of expired products that are on the shelves. CVS actually takes an ad saying “Expired products are not just ineffective but can be harmful as well.”

 

Someway some kind of surprise, because, I mean, when you mention baby food, that’s kind of like, that’s pretty bad. But yet I’m also not really surprised, because I think that in this country we really need to pay more attention to our supply chain, for food and for medicine and various other products. And that’s an area that’s been thoroughly⁷, you know, overlooked.

 

There’s nothing you could do, I mean, everywhere, not only in CVS, other places. They always have expired things like with the milk and everything.

 

The stores looked concerned that every customer that came through the door was gonna worried about expiration date on, you know, some like obscure, you know, lotion⁸ or whatever that’s on their shelves. Then it’ll be a big deal. But if they’re not asking about it, I really don’t think these people at the stores really care.

 

1 egregious   

adj.非常的，过分的

参考例句：

• When it comes to blatant lies,there are none more egregious than budget figures.谈到公众谎言，没有比预算数字更令人震惊的。
• What an egregious example was here!现摆着一个多么触目惊心的例子啊。

2 rite   

n.典礼，惯例，习俗

参考例句：

• This festival descends from a religious rite.这个节日起源于宗教仪式。
• Most traditional societies have transition rites at puberty.大多数传统社会都为青春期的孩子举行成人礼。

3 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• 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》

4 expiration   

n.终结，期满，呼气，呼出物

参考例句：

• Can I have your credit card number followed by the expiration date?能告诉我你的信用卡号码和它的到期日吗?
• This contract shall be terminated on the expiration date.劳动合同期满，即行终止。

5 potency   

n. 效力，潜能

参考例句：

• Alcohol increases the drug's potency.酒精能增加这种毒品的效力。
• Sunscreen can lose its potency if left over winter in the bathroom cabinet.如果把防晒霜在盥洗室的壁橱里放一个冬天，就有可能失效。

6 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

8 lotion   

n.洗剂

参考例句：

• The lotion should be applied sparingly to the skin.这种洗液应均匀地涂在皮肤上。
• She lubricates her hands with a lotion.她用一种洗剂来滑润她的手。