A journalist discovered that drugs whose clinical trials are financed

Question

A journalist discovered that drugs whose clinical trials are financed by drug companies usually display better results in those trials. The journalist hypothesized that the reason underlying her discovery is that drug companies, which manufacture the drugs, tend to present positive results so as to avoid negative publicity for the drugs.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the journalist’s hypothesis?

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the journalist’s hypothesis?

A. Drug companies finance clinical trials only for drugs with higher chances of succeeding in those trials.

B. Drug companies advertise their products in the same publications in which the results of drug trials are published.

C. Clinical trials are very expensive and often cannot be carried out without being financed.

D. To conduct an accurate clinical trial, a very large number of subjects must be tested and closely monitored to preserve neutral conditions.

E. Drug companies tend to downplay drugs’ side effects in their commercials.

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Whoisdmx15 · Answer

A. Drug companies finance clinical trials only for drugs with higher chances of succeeding in those trials.  Suitable  This reverses the causality. Instead of Companies paying for trials to get a negative outcome, Companies takes only the drugs with high probability of success to the trials.

B. Drug companies advertise their products in the same publications in which the results of drug trials are published.  Eliminated  This further strengthens the argument that Pharma Co.s fund their research in order to influence the actual results.

C. Clinical trials are very expensive and often cannot be carried out without being financed.  Eliminated  Out of context

D. To conduct an accurate clinical trial, a very large number of subjects must be tested and closely monitored to preserve neutral conditions.  Eliminated  Out of context

E. Drug companies tend to downplay drugs’ side effects in their commercials.

trungnx26 · Answer

The journalist's hypothesis is that drug companies manipulate the outcomes of clinical trials they finance to avoid negative publicity, leading to disproportionately positive results.

Option A provides an alternative explanation: if drug companies are financing trials only for drugs that already have a higher chance of success, then the positive outcomes could be due to this selection bias rather than any manipulation of trial data. This alternative explanation weakens the journalist’s hypothesis by suggesting that the positive results are inherent to the drugs being tested, not the result of deliberate bias in presenting trial outcomes.

The other options do not directly address or undermine the hypothesis that the companies intentionally manipulate the results:

Option B talks about advertising venues, which is unrelated to the manipulation of trial data.
Option C addresses the general need for financing in conducting trials, not the bias in the results.
Option D discusses the requirements for conducting accurate trials, but does not challenge the hypothesis regarding the motive for positive results.
Option E mentions how companies handle side effects in advertising, which does not directly relate to the conduct or outcomes of the clinical trials themselves.

Thus, Option A most seriously weakens the journalist’s hypothesis.

ManifestDreamMBA · Answer

Hypothesis/Claim:  Drug companies, which manufacture the drugs, tend to present positive results so as to avoid negative publicity for the drugs.

Goal:  Find something other reasoning, something which supports it is not true that drug manufacturers tend to present positive results.

Ideas:
May be drug companies finance only promising drugs
May be the clinical trials are done multiple times with different sponsors for the same drug and results are consistent
May be the patient population is not random

A. Drug companies finance clinical trials only for drugs with higher chances of succeeding in those trials.
 Matches with initial thinking

B. Drug companies advertise their products in the same publications in which the results of drug trials are published.
 Where they advertise doesn't weaken

C. Clinical trials are very expensive and often cannot be carried out without being financed.
 Justifies why financing is required. Doesn't weaken the claim

D. To conduct an accurate clinical trial, a very large number of subjects must be tested and closely monitored to preserve neutral conditions.
 Describes the requirements to conduct an accurate trial only. Has it mentioned that these drug companies have some screening process to pick up the subjects, then this would have helped to weaken it

E. Drug companies tend to downplay drugs’ side effects in their commercials.
 That doesn't relate to clinical trial results. This could be tricky - people might assume since drug companies are downplaying the side effects may be they are presenting positive results for clinical trials or may be not. We don't know

Bunuel · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

A journalist discovered that drugs whose clinical trials are financed by drug companies usually display better results in those trials. The journalist hypothesized that the reason underlying her discovery is that drug companies, which manufacture the drugs, tend to present positive results so as to avoid negative publicity for the drugs.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the journalist’s hypothesis?

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the journalist’s hypothesis?

A. Drug companies finance clinical trials only for drugs with higher chances of succeeding in those trials.

To solve this Conclusion Weakening question, first break down the argument. The first sentence is a premise providing factual data. The conclusion word hypothesized helps us identify the conclusion:

Premise A: trials funded by drug companies usually end up with positive results for the drug being tested
 =
Journalist's hypothesis: the drug companies present only the positive side of the results

Weakening Data: ?

You are required to find data that weakens the conclusion that the drug trials sponsored by the manufacturers are biased.

This answer choice weakens the journalist's conclusion by presenting an alternate explanation for the positive test results: drug companies only test drugs that they're optimistic about in the first place.

B. Drug companies advertise their products in the same publications in which the results of drug trials are published.

Incorrect.

To solve this Conclusion Weakening question, first break down the argument. The first sentence is a premise providing factual data. The conclusion word hypothesized helps us identify the conclusion:

Premise A: trials funded by drug companies usually end up with positive results for the drug being tested
 =
Journalist's hypothesis: the drug companies present only the positive side of the results

Weakening Data: ?

You are required to find data that weakens the conclusion that the drug trials sponsored by the manufacturers are biased.

This answer choice strengthens the conclusion, but you are required to weaken it. By stating that the drug companies advertise in the same publications that the results appear in, this answer choice supports the idea that they are only interested in creating a good public image for the drug.

C. Clinical trials are very expensive and often cannot be carried out without being financed.

Incorrect.

This answer choice neither strengthens nor weakens the hypothesis. The fact the clinical trials have to be financed is quite obvious, but more importantly, it doesn't say anything about the drug companies' intentions, or how they conduct their trials. Focus on the journalist's hypothesis and look for a statement that undermines it.

D. To conduct an accurate clinical trial, a very large number of subjects must be tested and closely monitored to preserve neutral conditions.

Incorrect.

This answer choice neither strengthens nor weakens the hypothesis. The manner in which a clinical trial is conducted is irrelevant since it is too general a statement and does not favor or undermines the journalist's hypothesis.

E. Drug companies tend to downplay drugs’ side effects in their commercials.

Incorrect.

This answer choice strengthens the conclusion, but you are required to weaken it. By stating that the drug companies manipulate information that might put their product in a negative light, this answer choice supports the idea that they are only interested in creating a good public image for the drug.

A journalist discovered that drugs whose clinical trials are financed

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GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

A journalist discovered that drugs whose clinical trials are financed

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