An antidote for chicken pox

Answer choices

1. A

   Unrelated to Goal: expensive vs. dangerous0% picked this

   The drug is extremely expensive and would be difficult to make

   The fact that it would be difficult to make this widely available doesn't answer the question of why it would be dangerous if it were widely available. This answer sounds like reasons why we shouldn't plan to make this drug widely available, but it doesn't relate to why it would be dangerous (assuming we had the money / ability to do so).

   0%
2. B

   Unrelated to Goal: nothing about danger1% picked this

   The drug has to be administered several times a day, so patient compliance is likely

   This, like (A), relates to the feasibility of whether we could have widespread use of this antidote. But we're seeking an answer that explains the danger of widespread use. There's no common sense story that "if patients don't follow the dosing instructions (they tend to not take it as much as they should), then something dangerous will happen".

   1%
3. C

   Unrelated to Goal: nothing dangerous10% picked this

   The drug does not prevent the spread of chicken pox from one person to another, even when the drug eventually cures the

   The status quo is that chicken pox is a highly contagious and also miserable to get through. This answer is basically saying "the new drug would make it less miserable to get through, but it would still be highly contagious." Wouldn't that be an improvement over the status quo? Where is the danger that researchers are worried about?

   10%
4. D

   Weaker Impact16% picked this

   When misused by taking larger-than-prescribed doses, the drug can

   This answer definitely relates to danger, but the danger only comes into play if people misuse the drug by taking larger-than-prescribed doses. Should we be worried about people taking larger-than-prescribed doses? Do people often do that? There's definitely some risk that people will overdose (especially if they have itchy chicken pox and want quicker relief). But that risk is true of almost any drug. If you overdose on Advil or Tylenol, it can be fatal. The correct answer presents a danger that isn't limited to edge cases, or that isn't inherent to any drug.

   16%
5. E

   Correct73% picked this

   Use of the drug contributes to the development of deadlier forms of chicken pox that are

   Why this is right

   This answer allows us to say, "If there is widespread use of this drug, it will lead to deadlier chicken pox that can't be treated with this drug." That sounds like a broader health concern than (D). This answer deals with potentially creating new strains of a disease that could endanger everyone, whereas (D) only dealt with endangerment for the few people who overdose on the drug. This answer is similar to the common sense idea that widespread use of antibiotics is dangerous because it can lead to superbacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.

   Skill tested: Paradox · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

   73%