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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Sometimes they are also used off-label, for treatment-resistant depression, or catatonia, a syndrome that can cause a patient to move in unusual ways, become immobile or stop talking.
—
Christina Caron, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Bhattacharya responded that the NIH should fund research to look at off-patent, off-label uses of drugs.
—Victoria Knight, Axios, 5 Mar. 2025
Both can treat Type 2 diabetes, and became widely known after celebrities began using it off-label for weight loss.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 28 Feb. 2025
Oral minoxidil: Low-dose oral minoxidil is sometimes prescribed off-label for male- and female-pattern hair loss.6
4.
—Kelly Burch Published, Verywell Health, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off-label
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Christina Caron, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Bhattacharya responded that the NIH should fund research to look at off-patent, off-label uses of drugs.
—Victoria Knight, Axios, 5 Mar. 2025
Both can treat Type 2 diabetes, and became widely known after celebrities began using it off-label for weight loss.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 28 Feb. 2025
Oral minoxidil: Low-dose oral minoxidil is sometimes prescribed off-label for male- and female-pattern hair loss.6
4.
—Kelly Burch Published, Verywell Health, 25 Feb. 2025
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 16 Apr. 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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