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Reference.org
Gold standard (test)
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<p>In <a href="/facts/Medicine/2fnp90Je">medicine</a> and <a href="/facts/Medical_statistics/KMkgMM4G">medical statistics</a>, the gold standard, criterion standard, or reference standard is the <a href="/facts/Medical_diagnosis/J47rvb0p">diagnostic test</a> or <a href="/facts/Statistical_test/yv9RPF6U">benchmark</a> that is the best available under <i>reasonable</i> conditions. It is the test against which new tests are compared to gauge their validity, and it is used to evaluate the efficacy of treatments. </p><p>The meaning of "gold standard" may differ between practical medicine and the statistical ideal. With some medical conditions, only an <a href="/facts/Autopsy/GzSXuCH2">autopsy</a> can guarantee diagnostic certainty. In these cases, the gold standard test is the best test that keeps the patient alive, and even gold standard tests can require follow-up to confirm or refute the diagnosis. </p>