In a CAPA plan, which element is used to confirm that corrective actions have actually resolved the issue?

• A. Root cause analysis
• B. Corrective actions
• C. Preventive actions
• D. Verification of effectiveness

Answer: (D)

Verification of effectiveness is the step that confirms the corrective actions actually resolved the issue. After you implement fixes, this phase collects evidence that the problem is gone and that performance stays on track over time. This can involve rechecking the process, conducting follow-up audits, re-running tests, and monitoring relevant metrics against predefined success criteria. If data show the issue persists or comes back, the CAPA activities are adjusted and verified again. The other elements—identifying the root cause, describing the corrective actions, and planning preventive actions—tell you what happened, what you did, and how you’ll reduce risk in the future, but only verification of effectiveness proves that the fixes truly worked.