What is "dictated but not read"

a. (context idiomatic English) dictated, as to a secretary or stenographer, but not proofread by the person who dictated the text so annotated.

"Dictated but not read" is a phrase used at the end of a text to warn that the written material has not been personally written or verified by the author. The material may have been dictated to a secretary when the author had no time to proofread or edit it.

This practice is more common within the medical community, though its appropriateness is still debated.