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

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

An off-label prescription drug has been shown to help some non-verbal children with autism discover the ability to speak. —Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 22 Feb. 2025

Parents say nonverbal son spoke after trying off-label drug for chemo side effects How the 2009 Colgan Air disaster became a turning point for U.S. aviation More In: Submarine Navy Connecticut Charlie D'Agata Charlie D'Agata is CBS News' senior national security correspondent. —Charlie D'agata, CBS News, 20 Feb. 2025

There are also many possible off-label uses of semaglutide, including potential heart and brain health benefits; some studies show that the GLP-1 drug may even be effective at treating addiction, improving liver disease and improving sleep. —Mara Santilli, Flow Space, 18 Feb. 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