Understanding “Off-Label”

A story in the New York Times on Jan. 21 about an upcoming article in the American Journal of Therapeutics on the use of peripheral stents – stents used in the arms and legs, primarily – was alarming to some patients who have received stents in their peripheral arteries. The story talked about “off-label” use of peripheral stents. If you are patient who has received a stent and wonder if it was “off-label,” the first thing you should know is that you do not need to be alarmed or afraid. Following the New York Times story, many physicians like me received numerous calls from patients wondering if “off-label” meant the stents they received were unsafe, or even illegal. I’d like to explain what “off-label” means and why doctors often choose to use medications, devices, and treatments “off-label” to achieve the best outcomes for our patients.

Let me start by stressing that I, like all of my colleagues, want my patients to get the best results from my care. That is the goal of every aspect of the care we provide and it is fundamental to understanding why “off-label” treatments are used thousands of times every day.

1/25/2008 The source archive page carried a “Read all” link; the remainder of this post was not recovered and has not been reconstructed.