Competition Mode Question

Due to significant advances in biotechnology, experts predict that within years, doctors will be able to trace the genetic roots of common medical problems such as depression and bi-polar syndrome. As a result, some physicians predict that these conditions and others like them will be all but eliminated through early identification and genetic therapy.

The argument above is based most heavily upon which of the following assumptions?

(A) There is one and only one strategy for eliminating common medical problems such as depression.
(B) Common medical problems such as depression are based entirely on treatable genetic malformations.
(C) Within years, genetics will be the only important scientific field in detecting and treating common medical problems such as depression.
(D) Every member of the human race has at least one genetic defect.
(E) Each human defect or sickness can be traced in part to genetics.
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The argument assumes that the early identification and with the help of genetic therapy one can prevent or almost weed out the common medical problems. but what if irrespective of the time of identification of disease, medical problem is not treatable.OR some problems are not even treatable .
so option B here states the same assumption that common medical problems are based entirely on treatable genetic malformations.. FOR ME OPTION B
but still doubtful of the word malformations it might be changing the scenario ,, someone please shed some light.

ARGUMENT
[prem] advances in biotech will enable others to trace genetic roots of common problems;
[con] some predict this will eliminate such problems through early detection and gene therapy;
[asum] gene therapy can cure theses problems.

(A) not the primary assumption;
(C) not the primary assumption;
(D) irrelevant;
(E) we are only concerned about problems that can be traced genetically to its roots;

Ans (B) if common problems weren't treatable by gene therapy, then the argument falls.

(A) There is one and only one strategy for eliminating common medical problems such as depression.......................we didnt discuss about no.of treatments.............wrong
(B) Common medical problems such as depression are based entirely on treatable genetic malformations..............it states that all cannot be treated using genetics but early detection can be done using genetics....so its a must assumption..........CORRECT
(C) Within years, genetics will be the only important scientific field in detecting and treating common medical problems such as depression.......out of scope
(D) Every member of the human race has at least one genetic defect.......not discussed .......out of scope
(E) Each human defect or sickness can be traced in part to genetics.......it says that common medical problems such as depression and not to each human sickness...INCORRECT

OA:B

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

The argument concludes that "common medical problems such as depression" "will be all but eliminated through early identification and genetic therapy." This is based upon the assumption that the only cause of these common medical problems is a treatable genetic deformity. If this assumption proves false (and problems arise from non-genetic issues), the argument's conclusion is not logical as the genetic therapy would not stop common medical problems that were caused by non-genetic factors.

A. The original argument does not pertain to the number of treatments for common medical problems but rather pertains to the ability of early identification and genetic therapy to eliminate common medical problems. Consequently, whether there is only one method (the one described) or one million methods is irrelevant.

B. This answer points out that if common medical problems arise either in part or in whole for reasons that are not genetic, early genetic detection and therapy will not rectify the problem. The assumption that these common medical problems are based entirely on treatable genetic malformations is an essential part of the argument.

C. This may be a logical result (or consequence) if the original argument proves to be true. However, it is not a necessary assumption for the original argument to be true.

D. The original argument pertains to the ability of doctors to treat "common medical problems" when they exist not whether these "common medical problems" exist in everyone. Further, the original argument hinges on the assumption that these problems are rooted in genetic defects and treatable via genetic therapy.

E. The original argument pertains to common medical problems such as depression and not to "each human defect or sickness." Further, the original argument assumes that genetic therapy alone is sufficient to treat the problem while this answer simply states that all human defects or sickness can be traced in part to (and not necessarily treated by) genetics.
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