off-label

adjective

off-la·​bel ˈȯf-ˌlā-bəl How to pronounce off-label (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 However, abortions are allowed in some exceptional circumstances, and doctors often prescribe mifepristone and misoprostol off-label to manage a miscarriage. Aria Bendix, NBC News, 2 Nov. 2024 Honig also sees potential for off-label use to try to stave off symptoms in people with high levels of brain amyloid and knows of clinicians who have prescribed it for this purpose. Byjennifer Couzin-Frankel, science.org, 29 Oct. 2024 Clinics offering cash-pay TMS treatments for a variety of off-label conditions have proliferated in recent years. Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for off-label 

Word History

First Known Use

1987, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of off-label was in 1987

Dictionary Entries Near off-label

Cite this Entry

“Off-label.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-label. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

off-label

adjective
off-la·​bel ˌȯf-ˌlā-bəl How to pronounce off-label (audio)
: 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
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