FDA 483 OBSERVATION · #330 OF 1,000 MOST-CITED
Design validation - user needs and intended uses
FDA cited this observation 63 times across 62 firms in recent inspections. Below: how it breaks down by program area and fiscal year, and real examples of how FDA worded it on Form FDA 483.
What this observation is associated with
Firms cited for this observation also appear in FDA compliance actions — warning letters, injunctions, or seizures — at 1.4× the rate of the average FDA-cited firm (11.3% vs 8.3%), across 62 FEI-matched firms.
This is an association, not causation, and reflects co-occurrence in FDA's records — not a claim that the observation caused or preceded the action.
How FDA worded it — real examples
Design validation did not ensure the device conforms to defined user needs and intended uses.
Design validation did not ensure the device conforms to defined user needs and intended uses.
Design validation did not ensure the device conforms to defined user needs and intended uses.
Design validation did not ensure the device conforms to defined user needs and intended uses.
Design validation did not ensure the device conforms to defined user needs and intended uses.
Design validation did not ensure the device conforms to defined user needs and intended uses.
Related SPEQ references
Where to read the requirements behind this observation area on SPEQ. These are SPEQ's topic and audience pages — not an FDA classification of the citation.
Examples are a representative sample of FDA's published inspection observations. SPEQ is not affiliated with the FDA; this is a reference view of public FDA data.
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