Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument that a new drug is effective because patients improved after taking it?
Correct answer: B. A group given a placebo improved by the same amount
- A. The drug is expensive to manufacture
- B. A group given a placebo improved by the same amount
- C. The drug has been approved in other countries
- D. Some patients disliked the taste
Explanation
If untreated patients improved equally, the improvement cannot be attributed to the drug, which is precisely why controlled trials use a placebo group. Cost, taste and foreign approval say nothing about whether the drug works. A weakening statement must attack the link between the evidence and the conclusion.
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About Critical Thinking
Critical thinking examines how conclusions follow from evidence, including claims, assumptions, arguments, inferences and relevant facts. Questions ask you to identify hidden assumptions, distinguish strong from weak evidence, assess cause and effect, recognise common reasoning errors, and decide which statement strengthens or weakens an argument.
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