A dose equal to 50 milligrams of a popular painkiller is as

A dose equal to 50 milligrams of a popular painkiller is as much as even those patients suffering the most extreme pain should take, and then only as absolutely necessary and under a doctor's direct supervision.

(A) as much as even
(B) so much as even
(C) even so much as
(D) even as much that
(E) even so much that






as per my understanding "as much as" means comparision and "so much as" means "provided that", I dont agree with the OA as there is no comparision that i find in the sentence?? I think in this case "so much as" is better? What am i missing???

i think, if we use "as much as" - then we are comparing "A dose equal to 50 milligrams" with "patients suffering the most extreme pain", i dont see any comparision in this sentence. Can any one explain?
but if we use "so much as" means "provided that" it makes more sense..... (I think)
A dose equal to 50 milligrams of a popular painkiller is so much as even those patients suffering the most extreme pain should take