St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Update state law to ensure that 'expert' court witnesses really are

By Connie Farrow, Patients Come First Missouri Executive Director

Missouri missed an opportunity to head off a growing battle that is unfolding in courtrooms across America, directly affecting health care decisions.

In 2017, Missouri aligned its statute governing expert testimony with Federal Rule of Evidence 702, creating consistency with federal courts. The federal rule was amended in December 2023 to clarify how judges must apply that standard. Missouri law has yet to be updated to follow suit.

State Sen. Jamie Burger (R-Benton) introduced a bill during the recent legislative session to align with Rule 702 and protect patients from misleading claims in court. Unfortunately, it failed to pass.

Read the full LTE in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch here.