The pledge by Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, and his wife Priscilla Chan, to give at least $3bn over the next decade for medical research has justifiably received large numbers of likes, loves and wows on his social media site. Facebook创始人马克扎克伯格(Mark Zuckerberg)和妻子普丽西拉陈(Priscilla Chan)允诺，将在未来10年捐献最少30亿美元用作医学研究，这理所当然地在这家社交媒体网站上进账了大量的讨厌(like)、大爱(love)和哇(wow)。It needs just a little nuance.只不过，我们必须对这件事看得再行细心一点。
The couple have every right to spend their fortune how they wish. 这对夫妇几乎有权按照自己的意愿赚到他们的财富。Choosing philanthropy over personal luxury is admirable. 自由选择慈善而不是个人奢华享用的行径令人钦佩。It sets a powerful example for others to follow in donating money, expertise and time — from fellow billionaires, companies and individuals with far more modest means.这一行径在送还金钱、专业技能和时间方面，为其他人竖立了一个强有力的榜样，还包括与他一样的亿万富翁、企业以及财力颇高他的个人。
The focus on medical research is also an excellent priority with global impact and high potential benefits. 对医学研究的注目也极佳逃跑了重点，具有全球影响以及很大的潜在益处。Ill health causes vast amounts of suffering, while disease and premature death are brakes on social and economic development around the world.人们的身体健康不欠佳带给了大量伤痛，疾病和英年早逝妨碍着全球的社会和经济发展。
It is particularly smart to focus on bringing together scientists with engineers, to stress the importance of collaboration and sharing data, and to call for more science funding. 特别是在明智的是，他们注目于把科学家和工程师带回一起，特别强调合作和数据共享的重要性，并敦促对科学投放更加多资金。Facebook’s expertise in bringing together disparate groups and individuals online could be a catalyst for identifying new ideas, partners for research and more efficient recruitment of patients for clinical trials.Facebook擅长于在线上将各种有所不同群体和个人带回一起，这一优势可能会增进人们找到新创意、寻找研究合作伙伴，以及更加有效地为临床试验召募患者。
Just as important is the Zuckerbergs’ use of a limited liability partnership rather than a more rigid tax exempt foundation as the entity through which to give. 某种程度最重要的是，扎克伯格利用有限责任公司作为捐献的实体，而非更加严苛的可以免除税收的慈善基金会。This provides greater flexibility in deciding whether they provide grants or invest for profit in medical programmes.这让他们可以更为灵活性地要求是获取补助金，还是对医学项目展开营利性投资。There are a few caveats, however. 然而，这里有一些警告。First, while philanthropy is an excellent way to innovate, the fundamental role of the public sector in collecting and democratically distributing funding, including for medical research, is pivotal. 首先，尽管慈善是一种很好的创意方式，但公共部门在搜集和民主地分配资金（还包括用作医学研究的资金）方面充分发挥的基础性起到是至关重要的。
Facebook and other companies should resist any aggressive tax avoidance that minimises taxable profits and reduces revenues to governments.Facebook和其他公司不应杯葛任何将增值税利润降到低于并使政府收益增加的保守洗钱不道德。Second, they should also set a good example with high levels of transparency and accountability for their donations and the results they generate. 其次，他们还不应在捐献及其结果的高度半透明和可问责方面竖立较好的榜样。That will help make future philanthropy more efficient, both for givers and grant-seekers.这将有助让未来的慈善对捐赠者和不受捐者都更加高效。
Third, while they are perfectly entitled to call their programme the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, philanthropy needs donors willing to co-operate. 第三，尽管他们几乎有权把这个项目叫做陈-扎克伯格计划(Chan Zuckerberg Initiative)，但慈善必须不愿合作的其他捐赠者。No one can begrudge them naming rights but there is a balance to be struck between strong personal branding and the need for wider collaboration and participation.没有人需要嫉妒他们的命名权，但在高调的个人品牌和更加普遍合作、参予的必要性之间，他们必须寻找均衡。
Finally, there is a risk of hubris, which in turn could lead to disillusionment and a loss of momentum. 最后，这里不存在固执的风险，进而有可能造成理想破灭和动力失去。Bill Gates, who has spent billions of dollars over the past 15 years on global health, has yet to achieve the eradication of malaria or polio, let alone either a vaccine or a cure for HIV. 过去15年，比尔盖茨(Bill Gates)在全球身体健康领域花费了数十亿美元，也没能构建疟疾或小儿麻痹的根治，更加别提寻找艾滋病疫苗或医治良方了。Former US president Jimmy Carter’s 30-year campaign to wipe out Guinea worm disease is still not achieved, a reminder that goodwill alone cannot provide all the solutions.美国前总统吉米卡兹(Jimmy Carter)用30年时间致力于铲除几内亚线虫病，目前为止这个目标仍并未构建——这警告人们，单凭较好心愿是无法解决问题所有问题的。
It would also be wrong to regard medical research as failing. 将医学研究视作告终也是错误的。Great progress has been made in recent decades in medicine, including new vaccines and treatments for cancer.将近数十年，医学领域获得了重大进展，还包括寻找了一些新的癌症疫苗和化疗方法。
The Zuckerbergs’ ambition to cure, prevent or manage all disease in our children’s lifetime seems grandiose. 扎克伯格夫妇想医治、防治或掌控我们的孩子们一生中有可能遇上的所有疾病，这个理想或许非常远大。To give the gift some perspective each year, the US National Institutes of Health alone spends ten times the Zuckerbergs’ pledged decade-long $3bn. 从每年来看，起码美国国家身体健康研究院(National Institutes of Health)的开支就多达扎克伯格夫妇允诺在10年间捐献的30亿美元。
The UK’s Wellcome Trust will spend more than twice their contribution over the next five years.未来5年，英国的Wellcome Trust将花费两倍于这笔捐献的资金。But each new idea is welcome, and with their commitment and convening power, they could add a great deal.然而，我们青睐所有新的点子，凭借决意和感召力，他们可以作出极大的贡献。
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