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Learned Intermediary Doctrine

Meaning

The Learned Intermediary Doctrine is a legal defense principle primarily applicable to manufacturers of prescription drugs and medical devices, asserting that the manufacturer’s duty to warn of product risks is fulfilled by providing adequate warnings and information to the prescribing physician. The physician, in this context, is deemed the “learned intermediary” who then assumes the primary responsibility for informing the patient. This doctrine governs the flow of risk information from the producer to the consumer.