Hope could be considered an effect, but the passage is referring to physiological effects. The passage tells us that "people turn to alternative medicine when orthodox medicine fails to help them and when it produces side effects that are unacceptable to them." Here, the passage is referring to those side effects which medical professionals often warn can arise from taking orthodox medications e.g. nausea, depression, weight gain, etc.
So, in saying that alternative medicine is free from these side effects because it does not have any effects, the passage is claiming that alternative medicine does not cause these side effects because it has no physical effect on the patient.
While hope can be considered to be an effect, it does not necessarily have a physical effect on the body. In comparison, answer choice D says that "a patient's belief in the medical treatment the patient is receiving can release the body's own chemical painkillers, diminish allergic reactions, and promote healing." This contradicts the claim that alternative medicines have no effect on patients as it provides three examples of physical changes which can be catalyzed by alternative medicines.
Hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any further questions.
saskipperFebruary 9, 2020
But this passage does not say people turn to alternative medicine because they believe in it....
How are we supposed to infer that when the passage only says they turn to alternative medicine because orthodox medicine fails them and has unacceptable side effects.....
VictoriaAugust 6, 2020
Hi @saskipper,
The stimulus claims that alternative medicine has no effect on patients.
We are looking for the answer choice which, if true, would weaken the stimulus' claim. Therefore, we are to assume that every answer choice is true i.e. that at least some patients believe in the medical treatment they are receiving.
If a patient believes in the alternative medical treatment they are receiving, then their body will release their own chemical painkillers, diminish allergic reactions, and promote healing. If this is true, then this would weaken the stimulus' claim because alternative medicine would affect patients in the ways outlined above.
The answer choices in weaken questions, for the most part, are not intended to be inferred from the passage itself. They are usually additional facts which, if their truth is assumed, may weaken the argument made in the passage.
