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.