Q18 - In clinical trials of new medicines, half of the

[jiyoonsim]

I still have difficulty understanding why A) is the correct answer when B) isn't. Can someone please explain?

[timmydoeslsat]

I think the best way to view this argument is to see the big picture.

We have these clinical trials of new medicines.

Half will receive the drug that is being tested.

Half will receive a placebo.

These clinical trials are designed so that BOTH the experimenters and subjects will be not know which group received the real drug.

The last statement begins with the word "however," so we can expect some sort of caveat or contrast with what we have read.

It's like "we try to live in this perfect idealized theoretical word where we do this and that. However..."

This however states that the intention is basically muddled because of something.

I would say this is a resolve the paradox/discrepancy type of question.

Answer choices:

A) This would complete the explanation as to why those intentions would be muddled! If it is true that sometimes the subjects that receive the real drug start developing symptoms that experimenters recognize as being side effects from that drug.

For example, lets say they want to drug a new workout drug to see how it works with weight loss. Lets say they include in this a chemical that is known to cause acne breakouts. The experimenters do not know which group was given the drug, however, once people start breaking out, this situation of who knows what can now be considered muddled.

B) This would be consistent with the experimenters not knowing which group received the placebo and which received the real drug.

C) Out of scope. We do not know what the intentions of these trials are.

D) Does not change the implications of whether or not those experimenters who started from the beginning now know which group received the placebo and which received the real drug.

E) This is applied to both groups. The experimenters will not know which group received the placebo and which received the real drug.