Lay juries usually function well in assessing the relevance of an expert witness’s credentials, experience, command of the facts, likeability, physical demeanor, confidence, and ability to communicate. [read post]

Joiner, 522 U.S. 136, 145-46 (1997) (holding that an expert witness’s reliance on a study was misplaced when the subjects of the study “had been exposed to numerous potential carcinogens”) First Circuit Bricklayers & Trowel Trades Internat’l Pension Fund v. [read post]

Prelude to Litigation Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) was a widely used direct α-adrenergic agonist used as a medication to control cold symptoms and to suppress appetite for weight loss.[1] In 1972, an over-the-counter (OTC) Advisory Review Panel considered the safety and efficacy of PPA-containing nasal decongestant medications, leading, in 1976, to a recommendation that the agency label these medications as “generally recognized as safe and effective. [read post]