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Federal Preemption Doctrine

Meaning

The Federal Preemption Doctrine is a foundational legal principle, derived directly from the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution, which mandates that federal law must supersede state law when an irreconcilable conflict exists or when Congress has demonstrated a clear intent to occupy a specific field of regulation. In the clinical domain of hormonal health, this doctrine holds significant relevance for the regulation of prescription drugs, including both federally approved and compounded hormone preparations. It critically determines the extent to which state-level product liability claims can be maintained against manufacturers of federally regulated medications.