1. A medical scientist is designing an experiment to test the results of a new drug that she hypothesizes will greatly reduce and possibly eliminate the side effects of a new cancer treatment. If this experiment is to be set up correctly, she must
(A) divide the patients into two groups and give each group the same amount of the new drug.
(B) divide the patients into two groups and give one group the new drug and give the other group nothing.
(C) divide the patients into two groups and give one group the new drug and the other group a drug that has no effect (for example, a tablet that only contains sugar).
(D) divide the patients into two groups and give one group the new drug for one week and the other group a different drug for one week.
(E) divide the patients into two groups and give one group one-half of the dosage of the new drug and the other group nothing.
Is it C?
Right.
Thanks.
Yes, the correct answer is (C) divide the patients into two groups and give one group the new drug and the other group a drug that has no effect. In order to accurately test the results of the new drug, it is necessary to have a control group that receives a placebo or a drug with no effect. This helps determine whether any observed effects are actually due to the new drug or simply a result of other factors.
Yes, the correct answer is option (C) - divide the patients into two groups and give one group the new drug and the other group a drug that has no effect (e.g., a tablet that only contains sugar).
This is the correct approach because in order to test the effectiveness of the new drug and its impact on reducing or eliminating side effects, it is important to compare it against a control group. The control group is a group of patients who receive a treatment that has no effect, in this case, a drug that only contains sugar.
By comparing the results of the group receiving the new drug to the group receiving the placebo (sugar pill), the scientist can determine if the new drug is actually responsible for the reduction or elimination of side effects. This approach helps to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between the new drug and its impact on side effects.
Dividing the patients into two groups ensures a fair comparison and helps eliminate other possible factors that may influence the results.