Critical Reasoning

Advertisement: For sinus pain, three out of four hospitals give their patients Novex. So when you want the most effective painkiller for sinus pain, Novex is the one to choose.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the advertisement's argument?
(A) Some competing brands of painkillers are intended to reduce other kinds of pain in addition to sinus pain.
(B) Many hospitals that do not usually use Novex will do so for those patients who cannot tolerate the drug the hospitals usually use.
(C) Many drug manufacturers increase sales of their products to hospitals by selling these products to the hospitals at the lowest price the manufacturers can afford.
(D) Unlike some competing brands of painkillers, Novex is available from pharmacies without a doctor's prescription.
(E) In clinical trials Novex has been found more effective than competing brands of painkillers that have been on the market longer than Novex.

ela07mjt wrote:Advertisement: For sinus pain, three out of four hospitals give their patients Novex. So when you want the most effective painkiller for sinus pain, Novex is the one to choose.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the advertisement's argument?
(A) Some competing brands of painkillers are intended to reduce other kinds of pain in addition to sinus pain.
(B) Many hospitals that do not usually use Novex will do so for those patients who cannot tolerate the drug the hospitals usually use.
(C) Many drug manufacturers increase sales of their products to hospitals by selling these products to the hospitals at the lowest price the manufacturers can afford.
(D) Unlike some competing brands of painkillers, Novex is available from pharmacies without a doctor's prescription.
(E) In clinical trials Novex has been found more effective than competing brands of painkillers that have been on the market longer than Novex.

Premise : 3 out of 4 hospitals recommend Novex
Conclusion : Novex is effective pain killer for sinus pain

Here conclusion is based on the assumption that 3 out of 4 hospitals recommend Novex so it is the best pain killer.

How we can counter this assumption?
If we say Hospitals are getting some benefits by recommending Novex and not recommending just because of its effectiveness then we can counter the argument.

(A) Some competing brands of painkillers are intended to reduce other kinds of pain in addition to sinus pain. --> We do not care about other kinds of pain and competing brand so OUT.

(B) Many hospitals that do not usually use Novex will do so for those patients who cannot tolerate the drug the hospitals usually use. --> Here this option strengthens the argument by saying that the hospitals, which are not using Novex, will use for XXX reason.

(C) Many drug manufacturers increase sales of their products to hospitals by selling these products to the hospitals at the lowest price the manufacturers can afford.--> Here this option says Hospitals recommend Novex not because it is effective but because it is cheaper for them. Hence weakens the argument.

(D) Unlike some competing brands of painkillers, Novex is available from pharmacies without a doctor's prescription. --> Hospitals recommend because you can buy it without doctor's prescription? OUT.

(E) In clinical trials Novex has been found more effective than competing brands of painkillers that have been on the market longer than Novex. --> Strengthens the argument so OUT.

ela07mjt wrote:Advertisement: For sinus pain, three out of four hospitals give their patients Novex. So when you want the most effective painkiller for sinus pain, Novex is the one to choose.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the advertisement's argument?

(A) Some competing brands of painkillers are intended to reduce other kinds of pain in addition to sinus pain.
(B) Many hospitals that do not usually use Novex will do so for those patients who cannot tolerate the drug the hospitals usually use.
(C) Many drug manufacturers increase sales of their products to hospitals by selling these products to the hospitals at the lowest price the manufacturers can afford.
(D) Unlike some competing brands of painkillers, Novex is available from pharmacies without a doctor's prescription.
(E) In clinical trials Novex has been found more effective than competing brands of painkillers that have been on the market longer than Novex.

This is a STATISTICAL argument.
Statistic: 3 out of 4 hospitals prescribe Novex.
Conclusion: Novex is the most effective painkiller.

The assumption is that there is only ONE WAY TO INTERPRET the statistic.
To weaken the conclusion, the correct answer choice will suggest an ALTERNATE INTERPRETATION.

Answer choice C: Many drug manufacturers increase sales of their products to hospitals by selling these products to the hospitals at the lowest price the manufacturers can afford.
Here, an alternate interpretation is suggested:
3 out of 4 hospitals prescribe Novex not because it is the most effective but because it is CHEAPER.

The correct answer is C.

While reading the argument, you can immediately spot a potential flaw:
only because 3 out of 4 hospitals recommend Novex, Novex is the most effective pain killer.

Since you are asked to undermine the argument, one way to go is to think of ANOTHER reason why hospitals recommend Novex.
Stop for a while, and try to come up with an answer. In real life, we all know that somestimes doctors/hospitals recommend a certain pills rather than another. Cash is the king.

Now, go an read the answer choices

A)Some competing brands of painkillers are intended to reduce other kinds of pain in addition to sinus pain.
The argument is all about sinus pain. It is not important whether Novex can reduce anus pain as well.
B) Many hospitals that do not usually use Novex will do so for those patients who cannot tolerate the drug the hospitals usually use.
This choice states that many hospitals recommend Novex not because it's effective but for other reason; the latter is a bit contradictory to what is stated in the argument. Also, the choice relates to some patients. In other words, only 2 patients out of 200 cannot tolerate the drug
C) Many drug manufacturers increase sales of their products to hospitals by selling these products to the hospitals at the lowest price the manufacturers can afford.
Hospitals are offered a discount. This reason is an alternative explanation why 3 out of 4 hospitals may give patients Novex. It is not because it's more effective, but because hospitals receive discounts. Keep this one as a contender.
D) Unlike some competing brands of painkillers, Novex is available from pharmacies without a doctor's prescription.
The argument is about what hospitals give patients but not about what patients can get themselves from pharmacies. This choice may seem like a contender on first sight, but it's not related to the argument.
E) In clinical trials Novex has been found more effective than competing brands of painkillers that have been on the market longer than Novex.
Oh, really? We try to weaken the argument and prove that Novex is not given because it's most effective. This answer choice is completely the opposite of what we are trying to prove since the choice strengthens the argument. Get rid of this one!