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
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Hydroxyzine is sometimes prescribed off-label for insomnia (trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep) and seasonal allergies.2
Benefits
Benefits of hydroxyzine include that it:4
Starts to work quickly, usually within 15 to 30 minutes.
—
Jessica Swirble, Verywell Health, 11 Feb. 2025
Other folks go the budget route, paying just $10 to $100 per month for rapamycin, an off-label immunosuppressant that’s recently become the darling of longevity zealots.
—Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 1 Feb. 2025
The Ohio state Senate passed a bill earlier this week that will allow patients to force hospitals to administer drugs for off-label use.
—Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech, The Hill, 12 Dec. 2024
Some health clinics offer ketamine off-label to treat mental health conditions, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 28 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for off-label 
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Jessica Swirble, Verywell Health, 11 Feb. 2025
Other folks go the budget route, paying just $10 to $100 per month for rapamycin, an off-label immunosuppressant that’s recently become the darling of longevity zealots.
—Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 1 Feb. 2025
The Ohio state Senate passed a bill earlier this week that will allow patients to force hospitals to administer drugs for off-label use.
—Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech, The Hill, 12 Dec. 2024
Some health clinics offer ketamine off-label to treat mental health conditions, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 28 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for off-label
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 21 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical 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
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