The first text contains little or no precise information about the company’s performance and
is full of statements that cannot be checked (medicines that are innovative, effective.. .). It
appears to be taken from the company website. By contrast, the second seems to be based on
a recent financial report and contains both facts (profits rising by 24%) and some comment
(may affect Medmax’s long-term profits). The first text is of little use to a student, but the
second could be used, with care, for analysis of the company’s current state.
Read the following texts and decide if they are reliable or not. Give reasons for your
decisions in the table opposite.
18 Part 1: The Writing Process
2
Recent trading results from Medmax show an apparently healthy position, with
pre-tax profit rising by 24% and total revenues up 5%. These figures, however,
were inflated by some one-off gains, such as a $152 million sale of swine flu vaccine
to the US government. Sales of the ZX high blood pressure drug also increased
sharply due to its main rival being temporarily off the market due to safety
concerns. Costs were very significantly lower in the last quarter, falling 14%, due to
productivity improvements. The anti-cholesterol drug Somar also sold very well,
becoming the market leader, but there are concerns that a pending US court case
may soon challenge Medmax’s patent on this product. There are also worries that
re-organisation of the American healthcare system may affect Medmax’s long-term
profits, and the company’s shares have recently fallen by 6%.1
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