Question

Cranberries and grapes may have therapeutic value. A cranberry company obtained the patent for a process to extract the oil from cranberry seeds. According to the patent, this oil can be used to treat breast cancer or to reduce its incidence. The oil can be used in drinks and foods. A grape juice company claims to have evidence that certain grapes have health benefits ranging from improving cardiovascular health to improving cognitive brain function in the elderly. These claims will be tested by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before the companies are allowed to market their products for “treating” ailments or “improving” health. Until then, the companies can describe that their products “help to maintain” or “support” health. Until studies support their claims, the companies cannot ascribe direct health benefits to their products.
Why would the FDA perform tests when a cranberry company and a grape company have already conducted research on the same products?
The FDA is the only organization that can test if health actually improves.
Tests that are performed by any company which benefits financially are considered unreliable.
The FDA tests give reliability to the results of improved health obtained by each company.
Tests performed by the FDA follow established scientific methods, but those performed by companies do not.

Answer 1

"The FDA tests give reliability to the results of improved health obtained by each company."

Explanation: the FDA provides an independent, standardized review of safety and efficacy that reduces bias and ensures studies meet accepted scientific and regulatory standards. The other choices are incorrect because (1) the FDA is not the only body that can test effects, (2) industry studies are not automatically unreliable though they may be biased or of varying quality, and (4) companies can and do perform valid scientific studies — the FDA’s role is to independently verify and standardize the evidence.