**Clinical [[validation]]** refers to the process of confirming that a concept, test, method, or theory is accurate, reliable, and applicable in real-world clinical settings. It typically involves:

1. **Testing in humans** — not just animals or theoretical models.
2. **Correlating findings with clinical outcomes**, such as patient recovery, symptoms, or prognosis.
3. **Reproducibility** — results must be consistent across different patient populations, institutions, and methodologies.
4. **Prospective data** — ideally involving forward-looking studies (e.g., cohort studies, randomized trials) rather than retrospective analyses.