Principles
When medicines are registered on the Australian market the indication(s) for which the medicine is used, and the acceptable routes of administration are listed.
Prescribing medicines for alternate symptoms or routes is called off-label use.
Palliative care represents a unique population and there is a lack of research into giving medicines for new indications or via different routes, making off-label prescribing common.
Useful information
The Council of Australian Therapeutic Advisory Groups (CATAG)
Therapeutic Guidelines: Palliative Care (subscription required)
Remember
- The 'Consumer Medicines Information' leaflet provided with the medicine will not reflect off-label indications - some explanation to the carer will be required.
Page last updated 13 February 2019