“Off-label” use occurs when a medication is prescribed for non-approved purposes. This case study explored physician experiences with prescribing gabapentin off-label. Semi-structured interviews with 10 specialists in the Greater Toronto Area provided data that were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Specialists described prescribing gabapentin off-label as common practice and few expressed concerns about its safety. Knowledge from various interconnected sources influenced off-label prescribing decisions. These included: social knowledge, scientific knowledge, knowledge of the drug, knowledge of the patient, and experiential knowledge. Findings were similar to previous studies examining physician prescribing behaviour. Furthermore, lack of provincial-government reimbursement for off-label uses of gabapentin (knowledge of drug coverage) was a significant barrier to prescribing. Off-label prescribing differs from other types of prescribing since there is often a lack of scientific evidence for off-label uses. The complexities of the off-label prescribing process and the degree of importance between the various influences require further exploration.

Thesis (MS )--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2008. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Mary Burrows. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (doctoral)--Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität zu Frankfurt am Main.

Zugl.: Kiel, Universiẗat, Diss., 2007.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität zu Köln.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Köln.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Erlangen.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Breslau, 1914. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [7-10]).

Zugl.: Kiel, Univ., Diss., 2007

Inaug.-Diss.--Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich. / Bibliography: p. 400-448.