Can non-medical prescribers prescribe off-label/off-license medicines?
“Nurse and pharmacist independent prescribers may prescribe medicines independently for uses outside their licensed indications/UK marketing authorisation (so called ‘off-licence’ or ‘off-label’). They must, however, accept professional, clinical and legal responsibility for that prescribing, and should only prescribe ‘off-label’ where it is accepted clinical practice. A local policy for the use of off-label medicines should be approved through mechanisms such as drug and therapeutic committees or the equivalent. The prescriber should explain the situation to the patient/guardian, where possible, but where a patient is unable to agree to such treatment, the prescriber should act in accordance with best practice in the given situation and within the policy of the employing organisation”. (‘Improving patients’ access to medicines: A guide to implementing nurse and pharmacist independent prescribing within the NHS in England’ – Paragraph 54). Supplementary prescribers may prescribe produc
