Endpoint — What It Means in Clinical Trials
Plain English Definition
An endpoint is the specific outcome that a clinical trial is designed to measure. It is the question the trial is trying to answer. The most common endpoints are whether the treatment shrinks tumors, extends life, or improves symptoms. Every trial has at least one primary endpoint and usually several secondary endpoints.
Why It Matters
Understanding the endpoint tells you what the trial is actually testing. A trial with overall survival as the endpoint is measuring whether the drug helps people live longer. A trial with response rate as the endpoint is measuring whether the drug shrinks tumors.
Example
A listing might say: "Primary endpoint: progression-free survival. Secondary endpoints: overall survival, response rate, and quality of life."
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