For decades, both state and federal courts in Michigan have routinely applied the learned intermediary doctrine in products liability cases involving prescription medical products. Under the doctrine, a manufacturer’s duty to...more
In Himes v. Somatics, LLC, No. S273887, 2024 WL 3059637 (Cal. June 20, 2024), the Supreme Court of California delivered a win to the defense, upholding the learned intermediary doctrine in cases involving prescription drugs...more
How demanding is the causation standard in a California failure to warn claim when a learned intermediary testifies that he would have read and incorporated more stringent warnings if they had been available? Is the plaintiff...more
The learned intermediary doctrine is not sexy. Its application doesn’t require depositions or a jury trial. Look no further than its name: it’s a legal doctrine. Nevertheless, drug and device manufacturers still face a...more
The world is waiting as pharmaceutical drug manufacturers rush to create products that can cure and treat COVID-19. In all likelihood, these products will require a doctor’s prescription before patients can access it....more
On December 18, 2018, the Arizona Supreme Court issued an opinion clarifying manufacturers’ duty to warn consumers under Arizona common law. The Court held that the federal Medical Device Amendments (“MDA”) impliedly...more
To prepare the best product liability defense for pharmaceuticals and medical devices as well as anticipate and strategically plan for future challenges in the medical and life sciences legal world, it is often helpful to...more
The Arizona Supreme Court has issued an opinion adopting the learned intermediary doctrine in Arizona. The Supreme Court rejected the Arizona Court of Appeals’ earlier decision holding that the learned intermediary doctrine...more
The learned intermediary doctrine can be a legal defense against product liability claims. It is most commonly applied in cases involving drugs and medical devices. A learned intermediary is a medical expert, such as a...more
In this Issue: ..Massachusetts Federal Court Rejects Exception to “Learned Intermediary” Rule for Prescription Drug Advertised Directly to Consumers, and Excludes Expert Opinion of Inadequate Warnings as Unqualified...more