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

If psilocybin therapy is approved for another condition whose study is further along, Hendricks notes, doctors may be able to prescribe it off-label for cocaine use disorder as researchers continue to pursue FDA approval. — Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2026

Other potential uses—on- and off-label—include treatment for heart disease, sleep apnea, and Alzheimer’s (official studies on long-term effects are still pending). — Elyse Moody, Architectural Digest, 27 July 2026

From ayahuasca circles and mail-order ketamine lozenges to off-label peptide injections, IV drips and longevity treatments, there’s a seemingly infinite number of ways to look and feel better that people will swear by in this town. — Shelby Hartman, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Misoprostol is approved by the FDA to treat ulcers, and is also widely used off-label to manage miscarriages, induce labor and end pregnancies. — Kate Wells, NPR, 22 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1987, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for off-label

• damnable
• disable
• enable
• roundtable
• timetable
• turntable
• unable
• unstable
• able
• chaebol
• fable
• label

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