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Surrogate Endpoints

Meaning

Surrogate Endpoints are measurable biomarkers, physiological parameters, or clinical signs used in clinical trials as substitutes for a definitive clinical outcome, or “true endpoint,” such as mortality or irreversible morbidity. These endpoints are utilized because they are easier, faster, or less expensive to measure, and they are expected to predict the effect of the therapeutic intervention on the true clinical outcome. In hormonal health research, changes in bone mineral density or lipid profiles are often used as surrogate endpoints to assess the long-term efficacy of hormone replacement therapies.