Evidence quality
Clinical endpoint
A real-world patient outcome such as symptoms, disease events, function, or survival.
What it means
Definition
Clinical endpoint: Clinical endpoints are outcomes that directly matter to patients or clinical decisions. They are usually more persuasive than surrogate markers.
What it can tell you
It can help clarify what sort of evidence or claim is being discussed.
What it cannot tell you
It cannot, by itself, prove that the headline is accurate or clinically important.
Headline trap
Why this matters in headlines
Fewer fractures is a clinical endpoint; a change in bone marker is usually a surrogate.