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janewhite1 · 07-22-2012, 07:45 PM

The FDA is becoming more strict about all controlled substances, especially about "off-label" prescribing, that is, prescribing it for a condition other than those it has been specifically approved to treat. As a matter of fact, many doctors are becoming nervous about prescribing ANYTHING off-label, controlled or not!

For example, I'm allergic to a common asthma medicine. So I asked my doctor about using another medicine, also approved for asthma, in a slightly different way than it is usually prescribed, since several studies found it works well that way. He basically said, "I'll give you the drug, do what you want, but I don't want to know, because I could get sued for prescribing off-label."

Speaking as someone who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia eight years before any drugs were FDA approved to treat it, I find this obsession with sticking to the labels pretty funny. Heck, I'm not switching to Lyrica or Savella! They cost a fortune and I don't like the side effect profiles. My tricyclic, nortriptyline, costs about $12 per month and works fine. Of course, no drug company will bother getting that approved for fibro. It's generic, they wouldn't make any money on the deal.

07-22-2012, 07:45 PM	#2
janewhite1 Senior Veteran (female) Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: NJ, USA Posts: 9,398 Blog Entries: 32	Re: Adderall The FDA is becoming more strict about all controlled substances, especially about "off-label" prescribing, that is, prescribing it for a condition other than those it has been specifically approved to treat. As a matter of fact, many doctors are becoming nervous about prescribing ANYTHING off-label, controlled or not! For example, I'm allergic to a common asthma medicine. So I asked my doctor about using another medicine, also approved for asthma, in a slightly different way than it is usually prescribed, since several studies found it works well that way. He basically said, "I'll give you the drug, do what you want, but I don't want to know, because I could get sued for prescribing off-label." Speaking as someone who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia eight years before any drugs were FDA approved to treat it, I find this obsession with sticking to the labels pretty funny. Heck, I'm not switching to Lyrica or Savella! They cost a fortune and I don't like the side effect profiles. My tricyclic, nortriptyline, costs about $12 per month and works fine. Of course, no drug company will bother getting that approved for fibro. It's generic, they wouldn't make any money on the deal.