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.
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 Doctors could prescribe the vaccine off-label to people not covered by ACIP recommendations, but AHIP said this is not a practice typically applied to vaccines. Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 4 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 The vast majority of Covid-19 vaccinations have typically happened in pharmacies or drug stores, but off-label prescribing requires a visit with a physician or other health care provider. Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Off-label.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-label. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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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