​
Summary

You must conduct systematic reviews using structured checklists to verify that all verification and validation activities are complete, compliant, and provide sufficient evidence for regulatory approval. These checklists ensure comprehensive coverage of testing requirements and provide objective criteria for determining readiness to proceed with regulatory submission and market launch.

​
Regulatory Context

Under 21 CFR Part 820.30 (Design Controls), you must implement:
  • Design verification completion documented through systematic review per Section 820.30(f)
  • Design validation completion confirmed through comprehensive evaluation per Section 820.30(g)
  • Design history file completeness verified before regulatory submission
  • Objective evidence review ensuring all verification and validation conclusions are supported
  • Risk management verification confirming all risk controls are validated and effective
Special attention required for:
  • Software validation completeness per FDA software validation guidance
  • Clinical validation adequacy for devices requiring clinical evidence
  • Cybersecurity validation coverage for networked devices per FDA guidance
  • 510(k) submission readiness including predicate device comparison adequacy

​
Overview

Verification and validation stage checklists serve as comprehensive quality gates that systematically evaluate the completeness and adequacy of all testing activities before proceeding with regulatory submission and commercial deployment. These structured reviews ensure that no critical verification or validation requirements have been overlooked and that all testing evidence supports confident regulatory approval and safe market introduction. Risk Management Report Completion verification ensures that your systematic risk management process has been properly executed and documented throughout the development lifecycle. The checklist confirms that all identified risks have been appropriately analyzed, controlled, and monitored, with residual risks remaining at acceptable levels or properly justified through benefit-risk analysis. This verification includes confirmation that risk controls have been implemented as specified and validated through testing, that post-market risk management procedures are established, and that the risk management file provides complete documentation supporting regulatory submission and ongoing compliance. List of Known Anomalies Documentation provides comprehensive accounting of all identified issues, their investigation findings, and resolution status throughout the development process. This systematic documentation demonstrates transparency about device limitations and ensures that all anomalies have been properly evaluated for safety impact and regulatory reporting requirements. The anomalies list enables regulatory reviewers to understand the complete development experience and confirms that all identified issues have been appropriately addressed or accepted through risk assessment. Traceability Matrix Completion verification confirms that systematic traceability has been maintained from user needs through design implementation, verification testing, and validation activities. The checklist ensures that every user need has been translated into appropriate requirements, that all requirements have been implemented in design outputs, and that comprehensive testing has verified and validated all aspects of device performance. This traceability verification provides confidence that development was systematic and complete while supporting efficient regulatory review and ongoing maintenance activities. Verification and Validation Report Integration ensures that all individual testing reports combine to provide comprehensive evidence of device compliance with specifications and user needs. The integration review confirms that testing coverage is complete without significant gaps, that test results support regulatory conclusions, and that any identified limitations or restrictions are properly documented and communicated. This systematic review validates that the complete verification and validation program provides sufficient evidence for regulatory approval and commercial deployment. Regulatory Submission Readiness Assessment evaluates whether your verification and validation documentation package meets all applicable regulatory requirements for your target markets. The assessment confirms that all required testing has been completed according to applicable standards, that documentation meets regulatory submission requirements, and that evidence supports the claims and intended use statements in your regulatory application. This readiness evaluation prevents submission delays and regulatory queries by ensuring comprehensive preparation. Clinical Evidence Integration verification ensures that clinical evaluation activities are properly integrated with verification and validation findings to support overall device safety and effectiveness claims. For devices requiring clinical evidence, the checklist confirms that clinical data addresses verification findings and supports validation conclusions while providing appropriate evidence for the intended use and target patient population. Manufacturing Readiness Verification confirms that manufacturing processes have been validated and integrated with design verification and validation activities. This verification ensures that commercial manufacturing can reliably produce devices that match the performance characteristics established during verification and validation testing, maintaining consistency between development articles and commercial products. Post-Market Surveillance Preparation verification ensures that systems are in place to monitor device performance after market introduction and to detect any issues that weren’t apparent during pre-market testing. The checklist confirms that post-market surveillance plans address verification and validation findings, that reporting systems are established for regulatory compliance, and that procedures exist for updating risk management and device labeling based on real-world experience. Documentation Completeness and Quality assessment ensures that all verification and validation documentation meets regulatory standards for clarity, completeness, and traceability. This comprehensive review confirms that reports provide sufficient detail for regulatory evaluation, that conclusions are properly supported by objective evidence, and that documentation packages are organized for efficient regulatory review and ongoing maintenance. The systematic nature of verification and validation stage checklists provides objective evidence that your testing program was comprehensive and compliant while identifying any remaining gaps that must be addressed before regulatory submission. These checklists transform subjective readiness assessments into objective, criteria-based evaluations that support confident regulatory interactions and successful market authorization by ensuring that all verification and validation requirements have been systematically addressed and documented.