Which term describes the process of verifying an initial result?

• A. Confirmatory
• B. Screening
• C. Reference
• D. Gold Standard

Answer: (A)

Verifying an initial result is done through confirmatory testing. After a screening test flags a potential positive, a confirmatory test uses a more specific method (often a different assay) to verify the result and reduce the chance of a false positive. This two-step approach—high-sensitivity screening followed by high-specificity confirmation—helps ensure the true disease status is identified. The gold standard is the best available test used as a benchmark, not the verification step itself, and a reference method is a standard used for calibration or comparison, not the verification process.