off-label

adjective

off-la·​bel ˈȯf-ˌlā-bəl 

: of, relating to, or being a drug used to treat a condition for which it has not been officially approved

Examples of off-label in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s why the Food and Drug Administration’s regulatory regime often approves drugs only for some (on-label) uses and not for other (off-label) uses of the same substance. —The Editors, National Review, 5 Dec. 2024

Health officials are further criticized in the report for spreading misinformation, especially on the lab-leak origin theory and on off-label use of medications such as ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, which the US Food and Drug Administration says are not effective against the coronavirus. —Katherine Dillinger, CNN, 2 Dec. 2024

For example, one study found that approximately 80% of oncologists had prescribed medications off-label in treating cancer patients. —John C. Goodman, Forbes, 24 Nov. 2024

Meanwhile, medical experts are raising concerns, saying that there are not enough data about the effects of such weight loss drugs on those with lower BMIs and that the consequences of such off-label use remain largely unknown. —Jackie Snow, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1987, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

off-label

adjective

off-la·​bel ˌȯf-ˌlā-bəl 

: of, relating to, or being an approved drug legally prescribed or a medical device legally used by a physician for a purpose (as the treatment of children or of a certain disease or condition) for which it has not been specifically approved (as by the United States Food and Drug Administration)

the off-label use of oral contraceptives to treat dysmenorrhea