#8 - Journalist: To reconcile the need for profits

[barret358]

I am utterly confused. I don't understand how the answer is (B). I chose (C).

Thank You in advance.

[James Finch]

Hi Barret,

The correct answer choice here is indeed (C), as it reflects the part-to-whole argument being made in the stimulus about pricing drugs according to individual economic status as opposed to the status of the country as a whole.

Hope this clears things up!

[Sambenz]

I understand how C is correct, but why is E not also correct? When pharma companies charge differing amounts to different nations they are determining that it should be as difficult to access healthcare in a rich country as a poor country.

[Adam Tyson]

Don't bring in any outside assumptions, Sambenz. The argument in the stimulus is not about comparing access to healthcare to distribution of wealth, and in fact the author takes no position at all on the fairness of wealth distribution. It is only about whether it is justified to set drug prices based on a nation's overall economic status rather than based on the economic status of the individual patients who need the drugs. That's why E is incorrect - it adds nothing to support the claim about the drug pricing policy described in the stimulus being unjustified. Focus on that conclusion, and don't be distracted by off-topic arguments!