一種利用基因沉寂技術的創新型藥物有望被納入英國國民醫療體系（NHS），用來治療那些生活在極度病痛中的人。該藥物可以治療急性間歇性卟啉病，這種遺傳性疾病可導致人們無法工作或正常生活。

Porphyria can be so painful that people take potent opioid painkillers every day. Severe attacks need hospital treatment.

卟啉病可造成強烈的疼痛，以至于患者每天都要服用強效的類鴉片止痛藥。嚴重發作時甚至需要入院治療。

Rather than managing the pain, gene silencing gets to the root cause of the genetic disease and the build-up of toxic proteins in the body.

基因沉寂技術不是要控制病痛，而是從這種遺傳病的根本病因著手治療，并對抗有毒蛋白質在體內的蓄積。

The drug does not alter people's DNA but mutes parts of it to block that protein production. Trials showed it helped cut attacks by 75%.

該藥物不會改變病人的 DNA（脫氧核糖核酸），但會抑制部分 DNA，從而阻止這類蛋白質的產生。試驗表明，它幫助減少了75%的病癥發作。

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which advises on drugs in England, said the therapy would improve people's quality of life and was value for money.

為英格蘭地區提供藥物咨詢的國家衛生與保健優化研究所表示，這種治療方法將改善人們的生活質量，且性價比高。

Porphyria is a rare disease. But this new treatment shows how gene silencing therapies are starting to change medicine. Scientists are investigating how the technology can be used in conditions from Alzheimer's to high blood pressure.

卟啉病是一種罕見的疾病。但這種新療法顯示了基因沉寂療法是如何開始改變醫學的。科學家正在研究如何將這種技術應用于治療從阿茲海默癥到高血壓等各類疾病。

詞匯表

porphyria 卟啉病
potent 強效的
painkillers 止痛藥
attacks （疾病）發作
gene silencing 基因沉寂（又稱基因沉默）
root 根本，根源
genetic disease 遺傳病
mutes 抑制
quality of life 生活質量
rare 罕見的

閱讀理解：請在讀完上文后，回答下列問題。

1. True or false? The drug would change people's DNA.

2. What do people with porphyria need if they have severe attacks?

3. What did the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence say about the therapy?

4. Name two conditions in which scientists are trying to apply this technology.

答案  

1. True or false? The drug would change people's DNA.
False. The drug does not alter people's DNA but mutes parts of it to block that protein production.

2. What do people with porphyria need if they have severe attacks?
They need hospital treatment.

3. What did the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence say about the therapy?
It said the therapy would improve people's quality of life and was value for money.

4. Name two conditions in which scientists are trying to apply this technology.
Alzheimer's and high blood pressure.