Off-Label Use of Medications

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	Off-Label Use of Medications

What does off-label use of a medication mean?

If a medication is used off-label, it means that the physician has prescribed it for a purpose other than the use(s) approved by a governmental regulatory agency (such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration). Oncologists frequently prescribe chemotherapy drugs for off-label uses in the treatment of cancer.

Some healthcare insurance companies do not reimburse patients for filled prescriptions of certain medications for off-label uses. However, many states in the U.S. have laws prohibiting healthcare insurance companies from refusing to reimburse patients for filled prescriptions of certain medications for off-label uses in the treatment of cancer and other serious diseases.

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