When one is doing a boldfaced question, often a key first step is finding the conclusion, if there is one.

Often the conclusion of a boldfaced prompt is not toward the end of the prompt but rather in the middle or even at the beginning. So in looking for the conclusion, don't fool yourself into deciding that something is the conclusion just because it lies toward the end of the prompt.

In this prompt the conclusion seems to be "The recently published data speaks amply in favor of the latter group". However, a preliminary review of the answer choices reveals the use of the word "conclusion" in some and "judgment" in others. So maybe in this case the conclusion is a little different from most prompt conclusions, and a better term to use is "judgment". Let's see.

(A) If we call the concluding statement a "judgment", this fits. The first boldfaced portion supports that judgment and the second is the basis of an objection that supposedly undermines the support.

(B) Whether we call that concluding statement a conclusion or a judgment, this is wrong, as the second boldfaced portion does not support the concluding statement. Rather it is a claim that if true would undermine what supports that statement.

(C) The first is not a judgment. Is is numerical evidence. The second is just a claim, not a counter claim.

(D) This seems to be half right, as the first does seem to support a judgment made in the argument, but the second does not help the argument challenge anything. Rather the second is a claim that has been used to in a way counter the point of the argument.

(E) This is clearly incorrect as the first does not support a conclusion challenged in the argument. It supports the conclusion judged to be correct by the argument. The second does in a way support a conclusion challenged in the argument. So the second part of this answer is to a degree correct.

The correct answer is A.

I actually spent much time understanding this sentence:The claims (that only the most reliable companies pursue DTC ads) and therefore, this data is expected, are not rooted on facts since a number of such heavily advertised drugs have been shown to have long term safety problems.

If I remove fluff, does it look like this: The claims and therefore[this idea] are not rooted on facts ?

gocoder wrote:I actually spent much time understanding this sentence:The claims (that only the most reliable companies pursue DTC ads) and therefore, this data is expected, are not rooted on facts since a number of such heavily advertised drugs have been shown to have long term safety problems.

If I remove fluff, does it look like this: The claims and therefore[this idea] are not rooted on facts ?

Perfectly reasonable to think of the main clause as "The claims are not rooted in facts." (I suspect that this isn't an official question, as that last sentence is poorly written. (First, a better construction would be "The claims that x... and that y..." Second, the "rooted on" is idiomatically incorrect. It should be "rooted in.") Just make sure you understand the logic of the argument...