Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Patent protection given to patentees puts a huge burden on public’s purchasing power in accessing patented medicines. 2. Dependence on other countries for pharmaceutical products is a huge burden for developing and poor countries. 3. Providing medicines to the public at affordable prices is a key goal during the public health policy design in many countries. 4. Governments need to find and appropriate balance between the rights of patentees and the requirements of the patients. Which of the above assumptions are valid?

1. A. 1 and 2
2. B. 1 and 4
3. C. 3 and 4
4. D. 2 and 3

Answer: B

Explanation

Let’s evaluate each assumption based on the passage:
1. ‘Patent protection given to patentees puts a huge burden on public’s purchasing power in accessing patented medicines.’ The passage states, ‘The patentees enjoy the liberty to determine the price of medicines… which… could be unaffordable to the public.’ This directly supports the assumption that high prices burden public purchasing power. So, assumption 1 is valid.
2. ‘Dependence on other countries for pharmaceutical products is a huge burden for developing and poor countries.’ The passage discusses patents and their impact on prices and R&D within a country’s context. It does not mention international dependence. So, assumption 2 is not valid based on the passage.
3. ‘Providing medicines to the public at affordable prices is a key goal during the public health policy design in many countries.’ While generally true, the passage focuses on the *consequences* of patent protection (high prices vs. R&D benefits) rather than explicitly stating this as a *goal* of public health policy design. It’s external knowledge, not an assumption *made by the passage*. So, assumption 3 is not directly valid from the passage.
4. ‘Governments need to find an appropriate balance between the rights of patentees and the requirements of the patients.’ The passage highlights the ‘cost, in the nature of higher prices for patented medicine’ versus the ‘benefit the public over the longer term through innovations and research and development (R&D).’ This inherent tension implies a need for balance, which governments would be responsible for. So, assumption 4 is valid.
Therefore, assumptions 1 and 4 are valid. This question tests the ability to identify direct and indirect assumptions made within the text, a critical skill for CSAT.