Challenge Question Series
July - November 2009

Question Explanation and Follow-Up

December 21, 2009

Question: Which of the following describes the correct order of sections in a clinical reprint?

Explanation: The standard order of the sections of a published article on a clinical trial includes the Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and References. Learn more about this and other important issues in the course Applications of Evidence-Based Medicine.

December 7, 2009

Question: A drug’s proprietary name is synonymous with its:

Explanation: A drug’s proprietary name is synonymous with its brand name. It is the exclusive name that the drug company owns under trademark law. People commonly use "trade name" inappropriately to refer to a drug’s brand or proprietary name. Learn more about this in the course Human Body, Pathology, and Treatment.

November 23, 2009

Question: Which of the following was designed specifically to protect the public from untested and potentially harmful drugs?

Explanation: The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act was designed specifically to protect the public from untested and potentially harmful drugs. Learn more about this act and others affecting the industry in the course Pharmaceutical Industry.

November 9, 2009

Question: Which of the following age groups are at greatest risk for nutritional deficiencies?

Explanation: The elderly are at greater risk for nutritional deficiencies than any other age group. The aging process itself can alter the body's ability to absorb and use nutrients. Poor eating habits, lack of sufficient money to buy food, and general gastrointestinal problems can cause undernourishment. In addition, many drugs can affect the appetite or the ability to absorb or use nutrients, sometimes contributing to malnutrition. Learn more about nutritional deficiencies in the course Nutrition: Wellness and Disease.

October 26, 2009

Question: At its most basic level, disease constitutes a problem of what sort?

Explanation: At the most basic level, disease is a problem of homeostasis, which involves a feedback system through which the body maintains a state of relative constancy. Learn more about homeostasis in the course Human Body, Pathology, and Treatment.

October 12, 2009

Question: Prescription drugs account for approximately ________ of total healthcare costs.

Explanation: Although the use of prescription drugs is increasing, studies show that pharmaceutical expenditures actually account for a relatively small percentage of overall healthcare costs. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), prescription drugs accounted for only 10% of total healthcare costs in 2005. Learn more about this in the course The Value of Pharmaceuticals.

Setember 28, 2009

Question: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule provides patients with greater access to:

Explanation: The HIPAA Privacy Rule, which took effect April 14, 2003, provides patients with greater access to their medical records and more control over how their health information is used. Learn more about this topic and others in The 21st Century Physician.

September 14, 2009

Question: Which of the following statements accurately depicts physician assistants?

Explanation: To practice medicine, physician assistants must be under physician supervision. Within the physician-PA relationship, physician assistants exercise autonomy in medical decision making and provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services. Learn more about the healthcare community in the course The Evolving Healthcare Community.

August 17, 2009

Question: Which of the following is a benign neoplasm?

Explanation: A lipoma is a benign neoplasm, while the others listed are malignant. Benign tumors have dividing cells that look like the normal tissue from which they developed, adhere to each other as a single intact lesion, and allow normal cell development to proceed beyond their boundaries. Learn more about neoplasms in the course Human Body and Pathology.

August 3, 2009

Question: What are the three fundamental elements of evidence-based medicine?

Explanation: Evidence-based medicine combines clinically relevant research with the clinician's clinical expertise and a focus on the patient’s values and clinical circumstances. Learn more about this topic in the course Applications of Evidence-Based Medicine.

 July 20, 2009

Question: Both simple and complex carbohydrates are found primarily in which type of foods?

Explanation: The correct answer is plant foods. In nature, the vast majority of both simple and complex carbohydrates are found primarily in plant foods, such as breads and cereals and fruits and vegetables. Learn more about this topic with our course Nutrition, Wellness and Disease.

 

July 6, 2009

Question: Spending $11,000 on general medical care adds, on average, one year of life; however, spending ____________ on pharmaceutical research and development yields the same return.

Explanation:  The correct answer is $1,345. In a seminal study published in 2000, Frank Lichtenberg found that spending $11,000 on general medical care adds, on average, one year of life; however, spending only $1,345 on pharmaceutical research and development (R&D) yields the same return. Learn more about this, and the role of the pharmaceutical industry in achieving and demonstrating the value of prescription drugs, with our course Value of Pharmaceuticals.