Surrogate markers may not tell the whole story

Format: Websites

,

Language/s: English

,

Resource Link: Visit the Website

Target Audience: Journalists and science writers

|

Self-directed learning

|

Short Description:

A webpage explaining the limitations of using surrogate outcome markers in clinical research.

Key Concepts addressed:

• 3-1 Do the outcomes measured matter to you?

Details

A surrogate marker is an event or a laboratory value that researchers hope can serve as a reliable substitute for an actual disease. A common example of this is blood cholesterol levels. These levels are surrogates, or substitutes, for heart disease. If a medical study demonstrates that a medication can lower cholesterol level 10%, then we assume that this will also lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. Why doesn’t this same study determine if an anti-cholesterol drug decreases heart attack rates directly? After all, most folks would rather be spared a heart attack than have a silent decrease in their blood cholesterol levels.

Visit the page here