Which term describes the measurable outcomes used to assess a treatment's effectiveness?

The term that describes the measurable outcomes used to assess a treatment's effectiveness is clinical endpoints. Clinical endpoints are specific, objective, and quantifiable measures that indicate the effects of a treatment on patient health, typically chosen based on their clinical relevance and their ability to reflect a change in the patient's condition due to the therapy being evaluated.

For example, in a study investigating a new cancer therapy, clinical endpoints might include overall survival rates, progression-free survival, or tumor response rates, as these provide tangible evidence regarding how the treatment is performing in terms of improving patient outcomes.

While clinical trials are the broader studies that evaluate the safety and effectiveness of new treatments, they rely on clinical endpoints to report the results. Adverse events refer to any unfavorable or unintended signs or symptoms that may occur as a result of the treatment and do not reflect the treatment's effectiveness. Patient feedback offers subjective insights into experiences but lacks the objective measurement that clinical endpoints provide. Therefore, clinical endpoints are essential for establishing the efficacy of treatments in a scientifically valid manner.