Cialis Lawsuit Spurs Warning Question for Washington Top Court

A suit over Eli Lilly & Co.'s erectile dysfunction drug Cialis prompted a federal court to seek guidance from Washington’s top court on whether the learned intermediary doctrine applies where a drug is marketed directly to consumers.

David Dearinger alleges he suffered a hemorrhage, leading to a paralytic stroke that caused severe and permanent disabilities less than two hours after taking Cialis.

He alleges Lilly knew or should have known about this stroke risk, yet failed to warn Cialis users.

Lilly said that under the learned intermediary doctrine, the only relevant warning for purposes of the lawsuit was that to ...