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
Due to the age restrictions set by the FDA, physicians must prescribe Avlayah off-label to help anyone above age 16.
—
Nathan Grant, STAT, 14 Apr. 2026
Perry had been using the drug through his regular doctor as a legal off-label treatment for depression.
—Andrew Dalton, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office later attributed his death to an accidental overdose of ketamine, a hallucinogenic anesthetic that in recent years gained popularity as an off-label, unrelated treatment for depression.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 8 Apr. 2026
Prescribing off-label medications is legal — and common — when treatment options are limited, according to GoodRx.
—Nicole Hernandez, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
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Nathan Grant, STAT, 14 Apr. 2026
Perry had been using the drug through his regular doctor as a legal off-label treatment for depression.
—Andrew Dalton, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office later attributed his death to an accidental overdose of ketamine, a hallucinogenic anesthetic that in recent years gained popularity as an off-label, unrelated treatment for depression.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 8 Apr. 2026
Prescribing off-label medications is legal — and common — when treatment options are limited, according to GoodRx.
—Nicole Hernandez, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for off-label
Cite this Entry
“Off-label.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-label. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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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