A pharmaceutical company develops a new generation
of blood pressure medication that may also help with
cholesterol. The research and development
department advertises in the local papers and online
for volunteers who already take blood pressure
medication to participate in a study for the new
medication. Two hundred people volunteer, and their
current blood pressure along with their cholesterol
levels are measured. The first 100 volunteers are
assigned to the new generation of blood pressure
medication, and the next 100 are assigned to the
original medication. At the end of the study, the
subjects' blood pressures and cholesterol levels are
measured. The group with the new medication is found
to have significantly lower overall blood pressure than
the original medication group. It was also determined
that the new medication did not significantly lower
cholesterol levels.
Which of the following is a valid conclusion?
Inferences can be made about all blood pressure
patients, and the conclusion can be made that the
new medication lowers blood pressure more
effectively than the original medication for patients
taking blood pressure medication.
Inferences can be made about all blood pressure
patients, and the conclusion cannot be made that the
new medication lowers blood pressure more
effectively than the original medication for patients
taking blood pressure medication.
Inferences cannot be made about all blood pressure
patients, and the conclusion can be made that the
new medication lowers blood pressure more
effectively than the original medication for patients
taking blood pressure medication.
Inferences cannot be made about all blood pressure patients, and the conclusion cannot be made that the new medication lowers blood pressure more efficiently than the original medication for patients taking blood pressure medication.