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Medical research findings are customarily not made public prior to their publication in a medical journal that has had them reviewed by a panel of experts in a process called peer review. It is claimed that this practice delays public access to potentially beneficial information that, in extreme instances, could save lives. Yet pre publication peer review is the only way to prevent erroneous and therefore potentially harmful information from reaching a public that is ill equipped to evaluate medical claims on its own. Therefore, waiting until a medical journal has published the research findings that have passed peer review is the price that must be paid to protect the public from making decisions based on possibly substandard research.
The argument assumes that
(A) unless medical research findings are brought to peer review by a medical journal, peer review will not occur
(B) anyone who does not serve on a medical review panel does not have the necessary knowledge and expertise to evaluate medical research findings
(C) the general public does not have access to the medical iournals in which research findings are published
(D) all medical research findings are subjected to pre publication Peer review
(E) peer review panels are sometimes subject to political and professional pressures that can make their judgments less than impartial
Source: LSAT
Premises:
- Medical research findings are customarily not made public prior to their publication in a medical journal that gets peer review done.
- It is claimed that this practice delays public access to potentially beneficial information that could save lives.
- Yet pre publication peer review is the
only way to prevent potentially harmful information from reaching public.
Conclusion:
Waiting until a medical journal has published the research findings that have passed peer review is the price that must be paid to protect the public from making decisions based on possibly substandard research.
Note the gap: The premises say that "peer review is the only way to prevent harmful info" while the conclusion says "waiting for a medical journal to publish peer reviewed research is the price that must be paid". The logical thing would be wait for "peer review" not for "publishing in a medical journal"
(A) unless medical research findings are brought to peer review by a medical journal, peer review will not occur
Yes. This bridges the gap between peer review and medical journal. Peer review is what is essential, not medical journal. This options tells us that peer review happens only when the medical journal gets it done. Hence, this establishes the necessity of the medical journal.
(B) anyone who does not serve on a medical review panel does not have the necessary knowledge and expertise to evaluate medical research findings
Not necessary. The argument talks about public in general. There could be some people who would have the required skill.
(C) the general public does not have access to the medical iournals in which research findings are published
Publishing in a journal is how the research findings reach the general public.
(D) all medical research findings are subjected to pre publication Peer review
Needn't be "all". Medical research findings are
customarily ...
(E) peer review panels are sometimes subject to political and professional pressures that can make their judgments less than impartial
The shortcomings of peer review are not a point of contention. The issue is what happens if there is no peer review.
Answer (A)
Many Thanks for the lucid explanation.
Still not able to understand how can we negate the "Unless" statements. In the option 'A' will the negation be (using the idea from chesstitans' reply),
- Even if medical research findings are brought to peer review by a medical journal, peer review will not occur.
It seems to say that even when medical journal asks the peer group to review the research, it will not do so. This does makes the conclusion fall apart but sounds a bit weird.