diff --git a/src/lib/clinical-search.ts b/src/lib/clinical-search.ts
index 68c6cb9aa..ca66ce943 100644
--- a/src/lib/clinical-search.ts
+++ b/src/lib/clinical-search.ts
@@ -1103,6 +1103,60 @@ export function normalizedClinicalSearchTokens(query: string) {
     .filter((token) => (token.length > 2 || shortClinicalSearchTerms.has(token)) && !textSearchStopWords.has(token));
 }
 
+const genericMedicationDoseQueryTokens = new Set([
+  "administer",
+  "administration",
+  "chart",
+  "dose",
+  "dosage",
+  "dosing",
+  "drug",
+  "frequency",
+  "guidance",
+  "listed",
+  "management",
+  "maximum",
+  "medication",
+  "medicine",
+  "oral",
+  "intramuscular",
+  "subcutaneous",
+  "subcut",
+  "sublingual",
+  "route",
+  "shown",
+  "table",
+  "used",
+  "using",
+  "usual",
+  "im",
+  "po",
+  "sc",
+  "sl",
+]);
+
+/** Require dose evidence to carry the medication question's clinical subject. */
+export function medicationDoseQuerySubjectTokens(query: string) {
+  return normalizedClinicalSearchTokens(query).filter((token) => !genericMedicationDoseQueryTokens.has(token));
+}
+
+/** Require dose evidence to carry the medication question's clinical subject. */
+export function medicationDoseQueryContext(query: string, result: SearchResult) {
+  const subjectTokens = medicationDoseQuerySubjectTokens(query);
+  if (!subjectTokens.length) {
+    return { hasClinicalSubject: false, matched: true, hitCount: 0, requiredHits: 0 };
+  }
+  const evidenceTokens = new Set(normalizedClinicalSearchTokens(clinicalResultEvidenceHaystack(result)));
+  const hitCount = subjectTokens.filter((token) => evidenceTokens.has(token)).length;
+  const requiredHits = Math.min(2, subjectTokens.length);
+  return {
+    hasClinicalSubject: true,
+    matched: hitCount >= requiredHits,
+    hitCount,
+    requiredHits,
+  };
+}
+
 /** Build clinical text search query. */
 export function buildClinicalTextSearchQuery(query: string) {
   const normalizedTokens = normalizedClinicalSearchTokens(query);
@@ -1287,6 +1341,15 @@ export function clinicalRankExplanation(query: string, result: SearchResult): Se
     )
       ? -0.3
       : 0;
+  const medicationDoseContext = medicationDoseQueryContext(query, result);
+  const medicationDoseContextBoost =
+    queryClass === "medication_dose_risk" && medicationDoseContext.hasClinicalSubject && medicationDoseContext.matched
+      ? 0.26
+      : 0;
+  const medicationDoseContextPenalty =
+    queryClass === "medication_dose_risk" && medicationDoseContext.hasClinicalSubject && !medicationDoseContext.matched
+      ? -0.24
+      : 0;
   const protocolBoost =
     querySignal.intent === "protocol" && /(protocol|process|procedure|workflow|pathway|algorithm)/i.test(haystack)
       ? 0.06
@@ -1533,12 +1596,14 @@ export function clinicalRankExplanation(query: string, result: SearchResult): Se
     riskFlowchartCanonicalBoost +
     directAnswerBoost +
     comparisonCoverageBoost +
+    medicationDoseContextBoost +
     sectionDepth +
     indexUnitBoost +
     assetBoost;
   const rawPenalty =
     titleOnlyDosePenalty +
     administrativeDoseQueryPenalty +
+    medicationDoseContextPenalty +
     coreConceptPenalty +
     clozapineSpecificPenalty +
     genericDischargePenalty +
diff --git a/src/lib/rag.ts b/src/lib/rag.ts
index 3ae154d33..8daaf83fe 100644
--- a/src/lib/rag.ts
+++ b/src/lib/rag.ts
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ import {
   expandClinicalQuery,
   hasDoseEvidenceSupport,
   hasStructuredThresholdEvidence,
+  medicationDoseQueryContext,
   normalizedClinicalSearchTokens,
   rankClinicalResults,
   riskZoneActionPattern,
@@ -2866,9 +2867,7 @@ export function evaluateEvidenceCoverageGate(
   }
 
   const hasStructuredThreshold = top.some(hasStructuredThresholdEvidence);
-  const hasDoseEvidence = top.some(hasDoseEvidenceSupport);
   const hasDoseAmount = top.some(hasDoseAmountEvidenceForGate);
-  const hasRoute = top.some(hasRouteEvidenceForGate);
   const hasVisualUnit = top.some((result) => visualEvidenceUnitTypes.has(result.index_unit?.unit_type ?? ""));
   const hasDirectTitle = directTitleOrAliasSupport(query, top);
 
@@ -2922,23 +2921,36 @@ export function evaluateEvidenceCoverageGate(
   }
 
   if (queryClass === "medication_dose_risk") {
-    const asksDoseRoute =
-      /\b(?:dose|dosage|dosing|route|oral|intramuscular|subcutaneous|subcut|sublingual|\bim\b|\bpo\b|\bsc\b|\bsl\b)\b/i.test(
-        query,
-      );
+    const asksRoute =
+      /\b(?:route|oral|intramuscular|subcutaneous|subcut|sublingual|\bim\b|\bpo\b|\bsc\b|\bsl\b)\b/i.test(query);
     const agitationOk = !/\bagitation|arousal\b/i.test(query) || /\bagitation|arousal\b/i.test(evidenceText);
-    const accepted = hasDoseEvidence && hasDoseAmount && (!asksDoseRoute || hasRoute) && agitationOk;
+    const hasContextualDose = top.some(
+      (result) =>
+        hasDoseEvidenceSupport(result) &&
+        hasDoseAmountEvidenceForGate(result) &&
+        medicationDoseQueryContext(query, result).matched,
+    );
+    const hasContextualRoute = top.some(
+      (result) =>
+        hasDoseEvidenceSupport(result) &&
+        hasDoseAmountEvidenceForGate(result) &&
+        hasRouteEvidenceForGate(result) &&
+        medicationDoseQueryContext(query, result).matched,
+    );
+    const accepted = hasContextualDose && (!asksRoute || hasContextualRoute) && agitationOk;
     return {
       accepted,
       reason: accepted
         ? "dose_route_amount_evidence_gate"
         : !hasDoseAmount
           ? "missing_dose_amount_evidence"
-          : !hasRoute && asksDoseRoute
-            ? "missing_route_evidence"
-            : !agitationOk
-              ? "missing_agitation_context"
-              : "missing_dose_evidence",
+          : !hasContextualDose
+            ? "missing_dose_query_context"
+            : !hasContextualRoute && asksRoute
+              ? "missing_route_evidence"
+              : !agitationOk
+                ? "missing_agitation_context"
+                : "missing_dose_evidence",
       strategy: "text_fast_path",
       sourceImageRequired,
       sourceImageSatisfied,
diff --git a/src/lib/retrieval-selection.ts b/src/lib/retrieval-selection.ts
index eaf7bef49..a8f0c93e4 100644
--- a/src/lib/retrieval-selection.ts
+++ b/src/lib/retrieval-selection.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { citationFromResult, documentCitationHref } from "@/lib/citations";
+import { medicationDoseQueryContext, medicationDoseQuerySubjectTokens } from "@/lib/clinical-search";
 import type {
   RagQueryClass,
   RetrievalCandidate,
@@ -232,6 +233,7 @@ function signalMatchesText(signal: string, text: string) {
 }
 
 function matchedSignalsForResult(args: {
+  query: string;
   intent: RetrievalIntent;
   result: SearchResult;
   chunkType: RetrievalChunkType;
@@ -259,6 +261,12 @@ function matchedSignalsForResult(args: {
   if (args.chunkType !== "text") signals.push(args.chunkType);
   if (args.intent.needsDoseRouteFrequency && hasDoseAmount(text)) signals.push("dose_amount");
   if (args.intent.needsDoseRouteFrequency && hasRoute(text)) signals.push("route");
+  if (
+    args.intent.requiredTermSignals.includes("clinical_subject") &&
+    medicationDoseQueryContext(args.query, args.result).matched
+  ) {
+    signals.push("clinical_subject");
+  }
   if (args.intent.needsPatientEducation && signalMatchesText("active_community", text))
     signals.push("active_community");
   if (args.intent.needsPatientEducation && signalMatchesText("ed", text)) signals.push("ed");
@@ -320,6 +328,9 @@ function resultBoost(args: { intent: RetrievalIntent; candidate: RetrievalCandid
   if (args.intent.needsExactVisualTable && (signals.has("table") || signals.has("table_fact"))) boost += 0.08;
   if (args.intent.needsDoseRouteFrequency && signals.has("dose_amount")) boost += 0.08;
   if (args.intent.needsDoseRouteFrequency && signals.has("route")) boost += 0.08;
+  if (args.intent.requiredTermSignals.includes("clinical_subject")) {
+    boost += signals.has("clinical_subject") ? 0.24 : -0.24;
+  }
   if (args.intent.needsComparison && args.result.document_summary) boost += 0.03;
   if (signals.has("document_title")) boost += 0.05;
   if (signals.has("direct_relevance")) boost += 0.06;
@@ -340,10 +351,12 @@ function resultBoost(args: { intent: RetrievalIntent; candidate: RetrievalCandid
 export function buildRetrievalIntent(query: string, queryClass: RagQueryClass): RetrievalIntent {
   const normalizedQuery = normalize(query);
   const asksDoseRoute =
-    /\b(?:dose|dosage|dosing|route|oral|intramuscular|subcutaneous|subcut|sublingual|im|po|sc|sl|frequency|mg|mcg|prn)\b/.test(
+    /\b(?:dose|doses|dosage|dosages|dosing|route|oral|intramuscular|subcutaneous|subcut|sublingual|im|po|sc|sl|frequency|mg|mcg|prn)\b/.test(
       normalizedQuery,
     );
-  const asksDoseAmount = /\b(?:dose|dosage|dosing|mg|mcg|microgram|maximum|minimum)\b/.test(normalizedQuery);
+  const asksDoseAmount = /\b(?:dose|doses|dosage|dosages|dosing|mg|mcg|microgram|maximum|minimum)\b/.test(
+    normalizedQuery,
+  );
   const asksTable = /\b(?:table|chart|matrix|threshold|cutoff|cut off|range|criteria|row)\b/.test(normalizedQuery);
   const asksSourceImage =
     /\b(?:source|show|open|view|display|see)\b.*\b(?:image|figure|visual|table|chart|matrix)\b/.test(normalizedQuery) ||
@@ -387,6 +400,9 @@ export function buildRetrievalIntent(query: string, queryClass: RagQueryClass):
     if (asksDoseAmount) requiredTermSignals.push("dose_amount");
     if (/\b(?:route|oral|intramuscular|subcutaneous|subcut|sublingual|im|po|sc|sl)\b/.test(normalizedQuery))
       requiredTermSignals.push("route");
+    if (queryClass === "medication_dose_risk" && medicationDoseQuerySubjectTokens(query).length > 0) {
+      requiredTermSignals.push("clinical_subject");
+    }
   }
   if (asksFlowchart) {
     preferredDocumentSignals.push("flowchart", "pathway", "risk matrix");
@@ -452,7 +468,7 @@ export function buildRetrievalCandidates(
       matchedSignals: [],
       sourceHref: documentCitationHref(citationFromResult(result)),
     };
-    const matchedSignals = matchedSignalsForResult({ intent, result, chunkType });
+    const matchedSignals = matchedSignalsForResult({ query, intent, result, chunkType });
     const lexicalScore = lexicalScoreForSignals(intent.requiredTermSignals, matchedSignals);
     const candidate = { ...initial, lexicalScore, matchedSignals };
     // The relevance score stays CLAMPED: live hybrid scores routinely saturate at 1.0, and letting
diff --git a/tests/retrieval-query-variants.test.ts b/tests/retrieval-query-variants.test.ts
index c80bd2d39..3c93e2819 100644
--- a/tests/retrieval-query-variants.test.ts
+++ b/tests/retrieval-query-variants.test.ts
@@ -694,6 +694,69 @@ describe("retrieval query variants", () => {
     ).toMatchObject({ accepted: true, reason: "dose_route_amount_evidence_gate" });
   });
 
+  it("does not require route for a dose-only question when dose and subject are co-located", () => {
+    expect(
+      evaluateEvidenceCoverageGate(
+        "What medication doses are used for opioid withdrawal?",
+        [
+          result({
+            title: "Opioid use disorder",
+            content: "For opioid withdrawal, methadone 10 mg may be used initially.",
+            similarity: 0.8,
+          }),
+        ],
+        "medication_dose_risk",
+      ),
+    ).toMatchObject({ accepted: true, reason: "dose_route_amount_evidence_gate" });
+  });
+
+  it("rejects entity-crossing dose evidence from an unrelated medication result", () => {
+    expect(
+      evaluateEvidenceCoverageGate(
+        "What medication doses are used for opioid withdrawal?",
+        [
+          result({ content: "Opioid withdrawal management guidance.", similarity: 0.9 }),
+          result({ content: "For agitation, lorazepam 1 mg IM may be used.", similarity: 0.88 }),
+        ],
+        "medication_dose_risk",
+      ),
+    ).toMatchObject({ accepted: false, reason: "missing_dose_query_context" });
+  });
+
+  it("ranks subject-matched dose evidence above stronger unrelated numeric dose results", () => {
+    const query = "What medication doses are used for opioid withdrawal?";
+    const ranked = rankClinicalResults(query, [
+      result({
+        id: "unrelated-dose",
+        title: "Nicotine Replacement Therapy",
+        content: "Nicotine patch 21 mg/24 hours and gum 4 mg are available.",
+        similarity: 0.9,
+      }),
+      result({
+        id: "opioid-dose",
+        title: "Opioid use disorder",
+        content: "For opioid withdrawal, methadone 10 mg may be used initially.",
+        similarity: 0.55,
+      }),
+    ]);
+
+    expect(ranked[0]?.id).toBe("opioid-dose");
+    expect(ranked[0]?.score_explanation?.clinicalSignalBoost).toBeGreaterThan(
+      ranked[1]?.score_explanation?.clinicalSignalBoost ?? 0,
+    );
+    expect(ranked[1]?.score_explanation?.rawPenalty).toBeLessThan(0);
+
+    const selected = selectRetrievalEvidence({
+      query,
+      queryClass: "medication_dose_risk",
+      results: ranked,
+      topK: 1,
+      maxResultsPerDocument: 2,
+    });
+    expect(selected.intent.requiredTermSignals).toContain("clinical_subject");
+    expect(selected.results[0]?.id).toBe("opioid-dose");
+  });
+
   it("requires direct source image evidence for source image/table requests", () => {
     const query = "Show the source table image for the patient property restricted items table.";
     expect(