CR Challenger 16/06

It is illegal to advertise prescription medications in Hedland except in professional medical journals or by mail directly to physicians. A proposed law would allow general advertising of prescription medications. Opponents object that, in general, laypersons lack the specialized knowledge to evaluate such advertisements and might ask their physicians for inappropriate medications. But since physicians have the final say as to whether to prescribe a medication for a patient, the objection provides no grounds for concern.

Which of the following would it be most useful to establish in order to evaluate the argument?

1. Whether nonprescription medications can interact with and block the action of any prescription medications that could be advertised to the general public
2. Whether most prescription medication advertisements directed at the general public would be advertisements for recently developed medications newly available by prescription
3. Whether prescription medication advertisements directed at the general public would appear on television and radio as well as in print
4. Whether physicians are more likely to pay attention to advertising directed to the general public than to advertising directed to physicians
5. Whether physicians are likely to succumb to pressure from patients to prescribe inappropriate medications

answer and explanation in comments