Surrogate outcomes

Surrogate outcomes are indirect measures used in research to evaluate the effect of a treatment or intervention when directly measuring the main goal, like survival or quality of life, is difficult or takes too long. For example, blood pressure levels can be a surrogate for predicting the risk of heart attack. They serve as a shortcut, helping researchers assess potential benefits or risks earlier. However, relying solely on surrogate outcomes can sometimes be misleading if they don’t perfectly reflect the true health outcome, so they are used cautiously alongside other measures.