The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) reports that the growth of off-label prescribing has slowed since 2005.

The term "off-label" refers to pharmaceuticals prescribed for purposes other than for which the drug is formally approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Doctors most commonly prescribe drugs off-label when the scientific and clinical evidence supports its use, there are few or no approved treatments for the condition, or other therapies were not effective. Off-label use of drugs is fairly common and accounts for up to one-fifth of all drugs prescribed.

Once an …

Medicare recently increased the number of drug compendia that it relies on when deciding whether to cover the off-label use of a drug. This policy change will likely result in expanded coverage of off-label uses of cancer drugs. While a previous Myeloma Beacon article reported on the expanded coverage, this article takes a closer look at the compendia and at what this policy change might mean for multiple myeloma patients.

Off-label prescribing is when a drug is prescribed for purposes other than for which the drug is formally approved by the …

A recent policy change has broadened Medicare’s coverage of off-label cancer drugs. The new policy took effect in November 2008.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves drugs for the treatment of specific conditions or diseases based on the results of clinical trials. But many physicians prescribe these drugs to patients for conditions other than those for which they have been formally approved, which is known as off-label use. Government spending on off-label prescriptions is an issue that has long been debated.

To determine which off-label uses of cancer drugs to cover, …