Abstract
When contrast agents are approved, the label describes the approved indications and particular circumstances of use such as age, organ function or pregnancy. The use of contrast agents outside their labelled indications is increasing, namely with contrast agents used for MRI. The aim of this paper is to improve the knowledge about this topic. The basis for off-label use is the physician’s prerogative, which finds its basis in the “Declaration of Helsinki”. Off-label use is allowed under special conditions and might be even the medical state of the art. The necessity for off-label use will continue to increase for MR-contrast agents, as the regulatory requirements for approval of new indications continuously increase, and clinical trials for registration purposes are quite costly and time consuming. As a consequence, manufacturers will concentrate on clinical studies for the essential indications.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Becker GJ (2006) Financial relationships with industry and device research involving non-Food and Drug Administration-approved use: a perspective. Radiology 239(3):626–628
Runge VM, Knopp MV (1999) Off-label use and reimbursement of contrast media in MR. J Magn Reson Imaging 10(3):489–495
EMEA, European Medicines Agency. www.emea.europa.eu
Raine J (2006) In: Thomsen H (ed) Off-label Use-legal aspects, in contrast media-safety issues and ESUR Guidelines. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Pons G, Lassale C, Eschwege E (1999) [How to improve drug development and utilization in pediatrics]. Therapie 54(4):423–432
Osuntokun B (2006) Clinical trials in pediatrics: The drug delivery dimension. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 58(1):90–105
Kimland E et al (2007) Drug related problems and off-label drug treatment in children as seen at a drug information centre. Eur J Pediatr 166(6):527–532
Cote CJ (1999) ‘Off-label’ use of drugs in pediatric anesthesia: legal, clinical and policy considerations. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol 12(3):325–327
Benjamin DK Jr et al (2006) Peer-reviewed publication of clinical trials completed for pediatric exclusivity. Jama 296(10):1266–1273
Pandolfini C, Bonati M (2005) A literature review on off-label drug use in children. Eur J Pediatr 164(9):552–558
Cras A et al (2007) Off-label prescribing in a French hospital. Pharm World Sci 29(2):97–100
Berlin L (1996) Ionic versus nonionic contrast media. AJR Am J Roentgenol 167(5):1095–1097
Amols HI (2002) Medical physicists should not encourage or participate in off-label, non-FDA-approved uses of intravascular brachytherapy devices. Against the proposition. Med Phys 29(9):2129–2130
Barbui C et al (2004) Off-label and non-classical prescriptions of antipsychotic agents in ordinary in-patient practice. Acta Psychiatr Scand 109(4):275–278
Boudjemline Y et al (2006) Off-label use of an adjustable gastric banding system for pulmonary artery banding. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 131(5):1130–1135
Dowden RV, Reisman NR, Gorney M (2002) Going off-label with breast implants. Plast Reconstr Surg 110(1):323–329; discussion 330
Heinrich M et al (2004) Conscious sedation: Off-label use of rectal S(+)-ketamine and midazolam for wound dressing changes in paediatric heat injuries. Eur J Pediatr Surg 14(4):235–239
Holmes DR Jr et al (1997) Interventional cardiology and intracoronary stents-a changing practice: approved vs. nonapproved indications. Cathet Cardiovasc Diagn 40(2):133–138
Hoo GW (2004) Off label, on target? Chest 126(4):1022–1025
Hughes JR et al (2005) A prospective study of off-label use of, abuse of, and dependence on nicotine inhaler. Tob Control 14(1):49–54
Margolis RE (1993) Off-label uses of drugs and medical devices: should the FDA crack down? Healthspan 10(1):18–19
Rhee EK (2005) Implantable cardioverter defibrillators in pediatric patients: off-label devices for orphan diseases. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 16(1):74–75
Satler LF (2002) Should PFO closure devices be used “off label”? Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 56(4):527
Smith JJ, Berlin L (1999) Off-label use of interventional medical devices. AJR Am J Roentgenol 173(3):539–542
Tortolani PJ et al (2001) Tibial nails for femoral shaft fractures in adolescents: “off-label” usage. Orthopedics 24(6):553–557
Wagner M (2005) Off-label use of misoprostol in obstetrics: a cautionary tale. Bjog 112(3):266–268
Weiss E et al (2000) Off-label use of antipsychotic drugs. J Clin Psychopharmacol 20(6):695–698
Acknowledgements
We thank Henrik Thomsen from Copenhagen University Hospital, Martin Schmidt from the Department of Pharmacology at Klinikum Karlsruhe, Christiane Pering from Bayer Health/Schering, Michel Schafer from Guerbet and Klaus-Peter Lodemann from Altana/Byk-Gulden for helpful comments.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Reimer, P., Vosshenrich, R. Off-label use of contrast agents. Eur Radiol 18, 1096–1101 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-008-0886-0
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-008-0886-0