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The 11th Most Prescribed Drug in the US Has Almost No Documented Efficacy
by kingmudsy

    The vast majority of gabapentin prescriptions are for off-label uses, or uses not approved by the FDA—an estimated 95 percent, according to a study of nationwide data. One survey found that gabapentin has the highest proportion of off-label prescriptions out of 160 commonly used drugs.

    These incredibly large numbers just don’t make sense...There are no well-designed, placebo-controlled clinical trials for several of its off-label applications...Only about 20 percent of gabapentin's off-label uses have data supporting them.

    Goodman thinks there is reason to be wary of doctors writing so many off-label gabapentin prescriptions: When it was first patented, the company that produced it spent millions of dollars on a deceptive marketing campaign specifically to promote gabapentin's off-label potential. He thinks it's worth asking if the legacy of that marketing campaign is in some way responsible for the sheer amount of off-label use that still takes place today.