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

Lucy and Pickard receive treatment through intravenous (IV) ketamine therapy ‒ a legal but off-label use of the drug. —Rachel Hale, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025

As such, off-label use of Zepbound and Mounjaro may pose patient safety risks. —Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2025

And even if a patient can obtain a prescription for an off-label vaccine, that still may not be enough to allow a pharmacist to administer the vaccine. —Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 5 Sep. 2025

Consider, for instance, that in most instances, pharmacists may not administer vaccinations off-label, meaning not within the limits set by FDA. —Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025

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