Question

In the 1960s, the drug cholesterol lower, after the usual period of carefully monitored clinical trials, was declared by its manufacturers to be safe and very effective at lowering cholesterol levels in the blood. The World Health Organization carried out exactly the same kind of trial on the drug but for a much longer period than the usual five years. The results showed that the mortality rate from all causes was 25% higher for those on cholesterol lower than for those who, though similar in other respects, had not taken the drug. Which of the following is a conclusion that can be drawn from the above passage?

• A. The monitoring programme instigated by the World Health Organization was carried out inefficiently
• B. Taking cholesterol lower reduces life expectancy by 25%
• C. Cholesterol lower is less effective at reducing cholesterol levels than was at first thought
• D. After the original trials, the manufacturers concealed the side effects of cholesterol lower

Answer 1

The correct option is B Taking cholesterol lower reduces life expectancy by 25%

In the given experiment as the World Health Organization carried out exactly the same kind of trial on the drug but for a much longer period than the usual five years, even then it is clear from multiple clinical trials that the five-year trial period is sufficient to identify all drug side effects. Hence, it can be concluded that the drug in this experiment that is a cholesterol lowering agent reduces life expectancy by 25% i.e., option b is the right answer.