Pharmacy Law CE: Off-Label Prescribing Rules

Pharmacist Learning Objectives At the conclusion of this continuing education activity, the participant will be able to:

1. Recall the reasons for and frequency of off-label drug use and promotion.

2. Define what constitutes off-label drug use and/or promotion.

3. Identify different medications that are commonly prescribed with off-label uses.

4. Identify the main focus for pharmacists when dealing with off-label prescriptions.

Pharmacy Technician Learning Objectives At the conclusion of this continuing education activity, the participant will be able to:

1. Recall the reasons for and frequency of off-label drug use and promotion.

2. Identify different methods of off-label promotion.

3. Identify different off-label uses of some common medications.

4. Identify a pharmacy technician’s main focus when dealing with prescriptions for off-label uses

This Pharmacy Law course examines the regulatory framework governing off-label drug use and promotion, an area of ongoing scrutiny for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. You'll review how the FDA distinguishes approved from off-label use, why physicians prescribe outside labeled indications, and where pharmacy law draws the line between legitimate clinical practice and improper promotion by manufacturers. The course also covers recent off-label prescribing trends that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic and the pharmacist-physician collaboration required to keep patients protected under current law. Case examples illustrate common off-label uses of everyday medications, so you leave with a practical framework for handling these situations in daily practice, not just the legal theory behind them. This course satisfies one contact hour and can be completed on mobile or desktop.