Frazier

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Frazier

by akhpad » Sat May 08, 2010 10:43 pm
Source: OG 12th Ed

Frazier and Mosteller assert that medical
research could be improved by a move toward
larger, simpler clinical trials of medical treatments.
Currently, researchers collect far more background
information on patients than is strictly required for
their trials-substantially more than hospitals
collect-thereby escalating costs of data
collection, storage, and analysis. Although limiting
information collection could increase the risk that
researchers will overlook facts relevant to a study,
Frazier and Mosteller contend that such risk, never
entirely eliminable from research, would still be
small in most studies. Only in research on entirely
new treatments are new and unexpected variables
likely to arise.

Frazier and Mosteller propose not only that
researchers limit data collection on individual
patients but also that researchers enroll more
patients in clinical trials, thereby obtaining a more
representative sample of the total population with
the disease under study. Often researchers restrict
study participation to patients who have no
ailments besides those being studied. A treatment
judged successful under these ideal conditions can
then be evaluated under normal conditions.
Broadening the range of trial participants, Frazier
and Mosteller suggest, would enable researchers to
evaluate a treatment's efficacy for diverse patients
under various conditions and to evaluate its
effectiveness for different patient subgroups. For
example, the value of a treatment for a progressive
disease may vary according to a patient's stage of
disease. Patients' ages may also affect a
treatment's efficacy.

Q
The author mentions patients' ages (line 33) primarily in order to

(A) identify the most critical variable differentiating subgroups of patients
(B) cast doubt on the advisability of implementing Frazier and Mosteller's proposals about medical research
(C) indicate why progressive diseases may require different treatments at different stages
(D) illustrate a point about the value of enrolling a wide range of patients in clinical trials
(E) substantiate an argument about the problems inherent in enrolling large numbers of patients in clinical trials

OA: D

Q
According to the passage, which of the following describes a result of the way in which researchers generally conduct clinical trials?
(A) They expend resources on the storage of information likely to be irrelevant to the study they are conducting.
(B) They sometimes compromise the accuracy of their findings by collecting and analyzing more information than is strictly required for their trials.
(C) They avoid the risk of overlooking variables that might affect their findings, even though doing so raises their research costs.
(D) Because they attempt to analyze too much information, they overlook facts that could emerge as relevant to their studies.
(E) In order to approximate the conditions typical of medical treatment, they base their methods of information collection on those used by hospitals.

OA: A

Both of the above questions are addressed in 2nd paragraph of the passage but I could not understood why.

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by ballubalraj » Tue May 25, 2010 10:36 pm
Answer to second question lies in the following lines of first paragraph:

Currently, researchers collect far more background
information on patients than is strictly required for
their trials-substantially more than hospitals
collect-thereby escalating costs of data
collection, storage, and analysis.


So, option A is correct. Rest of the options can be eliminated.

(A) They expend resources on the storage of information likely to be irrelevant to the study they are conducting. - Correct as per above mentioned lines from paragraph 1.
(B) Passage does not discuss that they compromise on accuracy of findings by collecting and analyzing more data.
(C) Passage says that if less data is gathered, some variables may be overlooked btu they are never
entirely eliminable from research. The current studies do not avoid this risk by collecting more data.
(D) It is not mentioned that they overlook some important information.
(E) Nothing is mentined about approximating the conditions for current studies.


I did not unterstand the solution to question # 1. I could eliminate options B, C and E.
In option A, 'most critical variable ' does not sound correct for this passage. BUT option D also does not look correct to me. I do not understand how it illustrates a point about the value of enrolling...

Can anyone explain that, please?

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by Shawshank » Wed May 26, 2010 8:03 am
Interestingly.. I got the 1) easily.. but I was thinking to hard for 2) so could not get it correct.
Anyways.. here's how i nailed 1)

Q
The author mentions patients' ages (line 33) primarily in order to

(A) identify the most critical variable differentiating subgroups of patients
(B) cast doubt on the advisability of implementing [/b]Frazier and Mosteller's proposals about medical research
(C) indicate why progressive diseases may require different treatments at different stages
(D) illustrate a point about the value of enrolling a wide range of patients in clinical trials
(E) substantiate an argument about the problems inherent in enrolling large numbers of patients in clinical trials

Frazier and Mosteller propose not only that
researchers limit data collection on individual
patients but also that researchers enroll more
patients in clinical trials, thereby obtaining a more
representative sample of the total population with
the disease under study.
.........Frazier
and Mosteller suggest, would enable researchers to
evaluate a treatment's efficacy for diverse patients
under various conditions and to evaluate its
effectiveness for different patient subgroups. For
example, the value of a treatment for a progressive
disease may vary according to a patient's stage of
disease.
Patients' ages may also affect a
treatment's efficacy.


The bold portion suggests a way of treatment while the underlined portion gives you 2 examples. The only answer whihc mentions this is "D".. illustrate a point...

Hope u got it..
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Shawshank Redemtion -- Hope is still alive ...

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by vinny_r78 » Wed May 26, 2010 11:33 am
My answers were correct. But i took almost 4mins 40 secs to answer the questions.
Shawshank & Akhil,
How much time it took for you guys?

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by neha.patni » Thu May 27, 2010 9:32 pm
akhp77 wrote:Source: OG 12th Ed

Frazier and Mosteller assert that medical
research could be improved by a move toward
larger, simpler clinical trials of medical treatments.
Currently, researchers collect far more background
information on patients than is strictly required for
their trials-substantially more than hospitals
collect-thereby escalating costs of data
collection, storage, and analysis. Although limiting
information collection could increase the risk that
researchers will overlook facts relevant to a study,
Frazier and Mosteller contend that such risk, never
entirely eliminable from research, would still be
small in most studies. Only in research on entirely
new treatments are new and unexpected variables
likely to arise.

Frazier and Mosteller propose not only that
researchers limit data collection on individual
patients but also that researchers enroll more
patients in clinical trials, thereby obtaining a more
representative sample of the total population with
the disease under study. Often researchers restrict
study participation to patients who have no
ailments besides those being studied. A treatment
judged successful under these ideal conditions can
then be evaluated under normal conditions.
Broadening the range of trial participants, Frazier
and Mosteller suggest, would enable researchers to
evaluate a treatment's efficacy for diverse patients
under various conditions and to evaluate its
effectiveness for different patient subgroups. For
example, the value of a treatment for a progressive
disease may vary according to a patient's stage of
disease. Patients' ages may also affect a
treatment's efficacy.

Q
The author mentions patients' ages (line 33) primarily in order to

(A) identify the most critical variable differentiating subgroups of patients
(B) cast doubt on the advisability of implementing Frazier and Mosteller's proposals about medical research
(C) indicate why progressive diseases may require different treatments at different stages
(D) illustrate a point about the value of enrolling a wide range of patients in clinical trials
(E) substantiate an argument about the problems inherent in enrolling large numbers of patients in clinical trials

OA: D

Q
According to the passage, which of the following describes a result of the way in which researchers generally conduct clinical trials?
(A) They expend resources on the storage of information likely to be irrelevant to the study they are conducting.
(B) They sometimes compromise the accuracy of their findings by collecting and analyzing more information than is strictly required for their trials.
(C) They avoid the risk of overlooking variables that might affect their findings, even though doing so raises their research costs.
(D) Because they attempt to analyze too much information, they overlook facts that could emerge as relevant to their studies.
(E) In order to approximate the conditions typical of medical treatment, they base their methods of information collection on those used by hospitals.

OA: A

Both of the above questions are addressed in 2nd paragraph of the passage but I could not understood why.



Time Taken 4 min 15 sec

Q-1 - D
Q-2 - C

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by akhpad » Thu Jun 17, 2010 2:15 am
neha.patni wrote:
Time Taken 4 min 15 sec

Q-1 - D
Q-2 - C
Such comment is not helpful. I need explanation as I was unable to solve it.

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by RumpelThickSkin » Thu Jun 17, 2010 4:21 am
vinny_r78 wrote:My answers were correct. But i took almost 4mins 40 secs to answer the questions.
Shawshank & Akhil,
How much time it took for you guys?
U beat me Vinny 4:47 my time

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by RumpelThickSkin » Thu Jun 17, 2010 4:26 am
akhp77 wrote:Source: OG 12th Ed

Frazier and Mosteller assert that medical
research could be improved by a move toward
larger, simpler clinical trials of medical treatments.
Currently, researchers collect far more background
information on patients than is strictly required for
their trials-substantially more than hospitals
collect-thereby escalating costs of data
collection, storage, and analysis. Although limiting
information collection could increase the risk that
researchers will overlook facts relevant to a study,
Frazier and Mosteller contend that such risk, never
entirely eliminable from research, would still be
small in most studies.
Proof statement to Q2,
followed by the supporting statement.


Only in research on entirely
new treatments are new and unexpected variables
likely to arise.


Frazier and Mosteller propose not only that
researchers limit data collection on individual
patients but also that researchers enroll more
patients in clinical trials, thereby obtaining a more
representative sample of the total population with
the disease under study.
Proof statement to Q1, followed by
information that supports this recommendation from F & M
.

Often researchers restrict
study participation to patients who have no
ailments besides those being studied. A treatment
judged successful under these ideal conditions can
then be evaluated under normal conditions.
Broadening the range of trial participants, Frazier
and Mosteller suggest, would enable researchers to
evaluate a treatment's efficacy for diverse patients
under various conditions and to evaluate its
effectiveness for different patient subgroups. For
example, the value of a treatment for a progressive
disease may vary according to a patient's stage of
disease. Patients' ages may also affect a
treatment's efficacy.

Q
The author mentions patients' ages (line 33) primarily in order to

(A) identify the most critical variable differentiating subgroups of patients
(B) cast doubt on the advisability of implementing Frazier and Mosteller's proposals about medical research
(C) indicate why progressive diseases may require different treatments at different stages
(D) illustrate a point about the value of enrolling a wide range of patients in clinical trials
(E) substantiate an argument about the problems inherent in enrolling large numbers of patients in clinical trials

OA: D

Q
According to the passage, which of the following describes a result of the way in which researchers generally conduct clinical trials?
(A) They expend resources on the storage of information likely to be irrelevant to the study they are conducting.
(B) They sometimes compromise the accuracy of their findings by collecting and analyzing more information than is strictly required for their trials.
(C) They avoid the risk of overlooking variables that might affect their findings, even though doing so raises their research costs.
(D) Because they attempt to analyze too much information, they overlook facts that could emerge as relevant to their studies.
(E) In order to approximate the conditions typical of medical treatment, they base their methods of information collection on those used by hospitals.

OA: A

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by akhpad » Thu Jun 17, 2010 11:33 pm
I got it now. Thanks.

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by pnk » Sun Aug 08, 2010 5:43 am
akhp77 wrote:Source: OG 12th Ed

Frazier and Mosteller assert that medical
research could be improved by a move toward
larger, simpler clinical trials of medical treatments.
Currently, researchers collect far more background
information on patients than is strictly required for
their trials-substantially more than hospitals
collect-thereby escalating costs of data
collection, storage, and analysis. Although limiting
information collection could increase the risk that
researchers will overlook facts relevant to a study,
Frazier and Mosteller contend that such risk, never
entirely eliminable from research, would still be
small in most studies. Only in research on entirely
new treatments are new and unexpected variables
likely to arise.

Frazier and Mosteller propose not only that
researchers limit data collection on individual
patients but also that researchers enroll more
patients in clinical trials, thereby obtaining a more
representative sample of the total population with
the disease under study. Often researchers restrict
study participation to patients who have no
ailments besides those being studied. A treatment
judged successful under these ideal conditions can
then be evaluated under normal conditions.
Broadening the range of trial participants, Frazier
and Mosteller suggest, would enable researchers to
evaluate a treatment's efficacy for diverse patients
under various conditions and to evaluate its
effectiveness for different patient subgroups. For
example, the value of a treatment for a progressive
disease may vary according to a patient's stage of
disease. Patients' ages may also affect a
treatment's efficacy.

According to the passage, which of the following describes a result of the way in which researchers generally conduct clinical trials?
(A) They expend resources on the storage of information likely to be irrelevant to the study they are conducting.
(B) They sometimes compromise the accuracy of their findings by collecting and analyzing more information than is strictly required for their trials.
(C) They avoid the risk of overlooking variables that might affect their findings, even though doing so raises their research costs.
(D) Because they attempt to analyze too much information, they overlook facts that could emerge as relevant to their studies.
(E) In order to approximate the conditions typical of medical treatment, they base their methods of information collection on those used by hospitals.

OA: A
I am still confused btn A & C

Paasge says "Although limiting information collection could increase the risk that researchers will overlook facts relevant to a study, Frazier and Mosteller contend that such risk, never entirely eliminable from research, would still be small in most studies"

Is C wrong bcoz it emphatically says 'they avoid the risk' or there is another reason. Pls help