anaik100 wrote:
Historically, the drug industry promoted its products to physicians by educating them in their offices or at industry conferences. In the last 10 years, it has become much more commonplace for drug companies to advertise prescription drugs directly to consumers, via television advertising and other media. Some public health advocates have become concerned that patients, encouraged by advertising, may pursue the use of prescription drugs that may be inappropriate for the individual patient or situation. However, since physicians must prescribe these medications, there is no reason for such concern.
Which of the following pieces of information would be most helpful in addressing the concern articulated by the public health advocates?
A Certain over-the-counter medications are as effective for many common medical conditions as more powerful nonprescription medications.
B Prescription medication television advertisements directed at the general public only appear on certain programs and are not seen by many potential consumers.
C Physicians are also subject to prescription drug advertisements that are directed toward consumers.
D Physicians are not susceptible to pressure from patients in determining appropriate courses of treatment, including drug prescriptions.
E Prescription medicines have been proven to be safe and effective treatments for many patient conditions.
The public health advocates are concerned that patients are subjected to advertisements about prescription drugs, and may pursue these drugs even though the drugs may not be clinically appropriate. It is argued that, because physicians must prescribe the drugs in question, patient pursuit of these prescription drugs is irrelevant. However, patients who pursue and request particular prescription drugs may be able to encourage or induce a physician to prescribe drugs that he or she might not have in the absence of such
encouragement.
(A) The clinical efficacy of certain over-the-counter medications does not address the public health advocates’ concern regarding patient pursuit of inappropriate prescription drugs.
(B) The public health advocates’ concern does not rely on every possible consumer to see the advertisements for prescription medications. It is enough that some consumers see the advertisements.
(C) This answer choice states the obvious possibility that physicians may also see the advertisements for prescription drugs directed toward consumers. This is irrelevant to the concern expressed by the public health advocates.
(D) CORRECT. This answer choice directly addresses the public healthadvocates’ concern by establishing that physicians are not susceptible to patient pressure in prescribing inappropriate drugs. As a result, drugs will be prescribed according to the objective clinical judgment of the prescribing physician, mitigating the danger of inappropriate use.
(E) That certain prescription medications are safe and effective treatments for many conditions does not address the concern of inappropriate use expressed by the public health advocates. Prescription drugs can be safe and effective when used for certain conditions by various individuals and still be subject to unhealthy use by other patients.
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74% (01:21) correct 
