Weight-Loss Medications: What Does Off-Label Mean?
For example, taking Ozempic for weight loss is currently an off-label use of this medication.
You may know someone who is taking Ozempic (semaglutide) to lose weight. This is considered “off-label use,” since Ozempic is not FDA approved for weight loss.
In this video, find out what “off-label use” means and how it pertains to newer weight-loss medications, according to Stacia Woodcock, PharmD, Pharmacy Editor at GoodRx.
- Stacia Woodcock, PharmDStacia Woodcock, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Kentucky and is licensed in New York and Massachusetts.
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References
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. (2023). Semaglutide injection.
Collins, L., et al. (2022). Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. StatPearls.
Novo Nordisk. (2022). Ozempic [package insert].
Novo Nordisk. (2022). Wegovy [package insert].
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2018). Understanding unapproved use of approved drugs “off label.”
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2023). Medications containing semaglutide marketed for Type 2 diabetes or weight loss.
