I03-24

Question

From the mid-1980s to the early 2000s, most substance abuse treatment in the U.S. was provided by specialty centers. These centers offered two main types of care:
 
• Outpatient care, where patients receive treatment during scheduled visits and do not stay overnight
 
• Inpatient care, where patients stay at the facility during treatment
 
In the early to mid-1990s, inpatient programs were seen as too expensive and less cost-effective than outpatient alternatives. As a result, there was a general shift toward outpatient care. Private insurers, in particular, began covering fewer inpatient treatments and focused more on outpatient programs.
 
During this period, spending on prescription medications for substance abuse remained a small portion of total treatment costs. Few FDA-approved drugs (the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is the agency that authorizes medications for use in the United States) were available:  disulfiram  and  naltrexone  were already in use for alcohol addiction, and  acamprosate  was added in 2004.  Buprenorphine  was FDA-approved in 2002 for opioid addiction.  Methadone , another FDA-approved medication for opioid treatment, is not sold through regular pharmacies. Instead, it is administered at treatment centers, and its cost is counted as part of spending on those centers.Between 1986 and 2014, the mix of public funding for substance abuse treatment shifted significantly. Programs funded in whole or in part by state and local governments took on a growing share of total spending. Their portion rose from 29% in 1986 to 40% in 2003, and then to 42% in 2006 and 45% in 2014, as shown in the figure below.
  https://gmatclub.com/gmat-focus-tests/resources/import/img/I03-21new.pnghttps://gmatclub.com/gmat-focus-tests/resources/import/img/I03-22.png

Bunuel · Answer

Official Solution:

• A wide range of medications was routinely used in treatment.  The passage makes it clear that this was not the case. Medication use was limited, and prescription drug spending remained a minor part of total treatment costs. Not correct.
 
 • Most approved medications were for opioid addiction.  This is inaccurate. Only one medication—buprenorphine—was approved for opioids by 2004, while three were approved for alcohol. Not correct.
 
 • Prescription drugs accounted for the majority of treatment spending.  Tab 1 clearly states that prescription drug spending was a small portion of total substance abuse treatment costs. Not correct.
 
 • Medications largely replaced outpatient and inpatient care.  The passage does not support this. Medications were used alongside these treatments, not in place of them. Not correct.
 
 • Only a small number of FDA-approved medications were available.  Tab 1 confirms that only a few medications were approved through 2004—three for alcohol (disulfiram, naltrexone, acamprosate) and one for opioids (buprenorphine). Methadone was used as well but not counted under prescription drug spending. This accurately reflects the limited role of medications in treatment. Correct.

Correct answer:

Which of the following best describes the role of medications in substance use treatment through 2004, based on the information provided?  "Only a small number of FDA-approved medications were available"

Bunuel · Answer

This MSR question and its solutions have been completely revised and improved.

sjayaram3 · Answer

I don’t quite agree with the solution. nowhere is anyting mentioned that drugs were approved. it just says available. How are we then consdiering appproved as correct option. While other options are not correct, this option also is not directly inferable from data

Bunuel · Answer

Here is the statement: Only a small number of FDA-approved medications were available

The Tab 1 says  "Few drugs were available"  and specifically names  approved  drugs like buprenorphine (approved in 2002) and acamprosate (added in 2004). So while the question uses the word  "available,"  the context and wording in the tab make it clear these were approved medications. That’s why the correct answer is fully supported by the data.

yzhou0523 · Answer

I believe the mention of FDA approval introduces new information that is not stated in the original text. It is possible that the treatment is approved only by specialty centers, which would still be consistent with the passage, since we are required to rely solely on the information provided.

Bunuel · Answer

The doubt is understandable, but it overlooks key wording in Tab 1.

Tab 1 doesn't just say drugs were "available", it explicitly names FDA-approved medications, including disulfiram, naltrexone, acamprosate (added in 2004), and buprenorphine (approved in 2002). It even specifies that methadone is not sold through regular pharmacies, implying that the other drugs are.

So the phrase "FDA-approved medications" is not new information, it's clearly implied by the named drugs and approval years given. The correct answer summarizes that context accurately.

arekool · Answer

I like the solution - it’s helpful.

Jayant9090 · Answer

I don’t quite agree with the solution. how will i know who approves medicine in US?
each country have different entity such as FDA(US)/CDSCO(India)/EMA(Europe).

Bunuel · Answer

Tweaked the tab 1. Hope now it's clear/

I03-24

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	A wide range of medications was routinely used in treatment
	Most approved medications were for opioid addiction
	Prescription drugs accounted for the majority of treatment spending
	Medications largely replaced outpatient and inpatient care
	Only a small number of FDA-approved medications were available