Which statement defines verification of an IHC protocol?

• A. It involves validating performance across a wide range of clinical specimens.
• B. It is identical to validation but with fewer samples.
• C. It is performed by the manufacturer only.
• D. Verification means antibody and protocol are retested to ensure they meet specifications related to analytical specificity and sensitivity.

Answer: (D)

Verification in IHC is about confirming that a specific antibody and its staining protocol will perform to predefined specifications under your lab’s conditions. This means retesting the antibody/protocol to ensure the analytical performance—especially specificity (distinguishing the target from non-targets) and sensitivity (detecting the target at the expected level)—meets established criteria before routine use. It focuses on confirming the method works reliably in your setting, with your reagents and equipment, and under your fixation and processing conditions.

This is different from validation, which assesses performance across a broader range of specimens and contexts, often with more extensive testing and sometimes across sites. It’s not solely done by the manufacturer; laboratories carry out verification to ensure the protocol will yield reliable results in practice.