The cost of drug research and development is staggering.

Question

The cost of drug research and development is staggering. Drug companies have recently argued that this is a good reason to lengthen the patent on new drugs and disallow the importation of drugs from Canada. But some senior citizens advocate groups have argued that the high cost of research and development is a good reason to allow generic and, perhaps, imported drugs to benefit those with fixed incomes.

Which statement, if true, best resolves this seeming paradox?

(A) The advocate groups are aware that drugs from Canada are poorly regulated and may be dangerous.
(B) The cost of medical care has increased greatly in recent years.
(C) Drug companies invest very little money in research and development.
(D) It is common knowledge that drug companies will not pay for extensive research programs if they do not anticipate any a return on their investment.
(E) The advocate groups also claim the high costs of research should be supported by government grants.

carlson2010 · Answer

I say E.

Drug companies=We need quotas, etc., because our research costs are too high and we cannot make the money needed to cover our investments if there are cheap drugs coming in from Canada.

Old people=We need cheap drugs because drugs are too expensive now.

In other words, both are complaining about the high cost of research. The paradox lies in the fact that the two groups suggest opposite solutions for the same problem.

If the old people were also arguing for a government grant to help pay for research, this would solve the paradox by allowing the two groups to agree on one solution for the same problem. The drug companies could cover their investments and the old people could get their cheap drugs.

bsd_lover · Answer

What does the bolded part mean ? I am unclear on what exactly it means and am afraid that sentence may hold the key to the answer.

carlson2010 · Answer

It means that domestic drugs are too expensive, so the seniors want cheaper generic and imported drugs to be allowed.

bsd_lover · Answer

But there's nothing in the first statement about "generic drugs" ? Where's the contradiction / paradox ?

carlson2010 · Answer

The drug companies call for longer patents. If a company has a patent on a drug, other companies are not allowed to create generic versions. In other words, the drug companies want to restrict competition while the seniors want to encourage competition, two opposite solutions for the same problem of expensive research costs.

bsd_lover · Answer

Thanks carlson, when you explain it this way it makes some sense. However, I feel that the question itself is extremely poorly worded and leaves scope for too much interpretation.

sondenso · Answer

Carlson,
I like your reasoning! And I think you must have some useful tips for this kind of question! May you share it? Admittedly, I am weak at paradox question!

carlson2010 · Answer

I agree.

carlson2010 · Answer

This question wasn't the best example of a paradox. A paradox is usually something that is self-contradictory. In this problem the "paradox" was simply that two groups had opposite solutions for the same problem. I wouldn't really even call this situation a "paradox", its more like a disagreement.

Anyway, to answer your question, whenever I see a "paradox" question, I try to simplify it as much as possible to clearly see where the contradiction is. After that the answer that solves the contradiction just kind of jumps out. In this problem, there wasn't really a self contradiction, so I went with the answer that would align the two parties wishes, solving the "paradox" (if you want to call it that).

I don't know if this explanation helps much, but that's how I do it. Hope it helps.

Anyway, what is the OA? Am I even right?

quiet888 · Answer

Thought that D is the answer.
But after looking through the explanation in this thread, I think that E may be the right answer.

Please provide the OA for this question.

bkk145 · Answer

Love you explanation. +1

carlson2010 · Answer

Thanks!

gixxer1000 · Answer

I disagree that its E.

The paradox is that drug research cost alot of money so drug companies want to increase the length of patents and keep drug from canada out. But senior citizens advocates argue that the high research costs are the reason we should allow generic drugs and drugs from canada.

In other words: Why would the advocates argue to buy generic and Canadian drugs if it would hurt

If we go with E then were saying that the government should pay for research and development reducing cost. If that is the case then the senior citizens advocates would argue NOT to buy generic drug and drugs from canada. Why would you advocate for the government to pay for research of brand name drugs and then tell people to buy generic and canadian drugs that aren't supported by the grants.

(C) Drug companies invest very little money in research and development.

The drug companies are trying to get trick everyone. The research and development is high but the drug companies actually spend very little actual money on this. So they are actually trying to make everyone believe that this is a high cost when it is not. If we buy into it then we allow them to increase patents lengths and decrease competition allowing them to keep making increased profits.

Remember the drug companies are arguing to increase patents and decrease competition. The advocates are arguing to do the exact oposite.

The advocates realize this and say lets allow seniors to buy generic drugs and drugs from canada because we know the drug compies dont actualy spend a lot of money on research and they are using that to inflate the price.

Drug companies = Research and development is high. We need to reduce competition to compensate.

Old People = Reseaerch and development is high. We need to increase competition lower prices.

In other words: Why would the advocates argue to buy generic and Canadian drugs if it would hurt the American drug companies. The answer is that it wont.

The drug compnies don't spend a lot of money on reasearch and development.

mbamogul · Answer

Answer choice: E

A - Nothing said about the quality of drugs from Canada

B - Not necessarily because of high R&D cost

C - Goes against what is said in the premise

D - Supports the stand taken by the drug companies

E - if this true, will help keep the cost of R&D of drugs thereby reducing the medical bill of the needy people.

The cost of drug research and development is staggering.

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