# Daubert Standard

> A legal standard for determining whether expert testimony is admissible in federal court based on scientific reliability and relevance.

**Category:** Legal Procedure
**Canonical URL:** https://drugsmonitor.com/glossary/daubert-standard
**Last updated:** 2026-06-11

The Daubert standard comes from Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals (1993), a case involving birth defects allegedly caused by the morning sickness drug Bendectin. It requires federal judges to act as gatekeepers for expert testimony.

Courts evaluate whether expert opinions are based on reliable scientific methods, have been tested, have been peer-reviewed, have known error rates, and are generally accepted in the relevant scientific community.

Daubert challenges are common in pharmaceutical litigation. If a plaintiff's expert is excluded, the case often cannot proceed. Selecting well-qualified, well-prepared experts is one of the most important tasks in mass tort litigation.

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*Glossary entry from DrugsMonitor.com.*