Do Not Misinterpret "Off-label Use"
Clinically, there are often situations where certain medications have additional effects beyond what is listed in their instructions. This is because once a medication is successfully developed, its indications must go through strict review by relevant authorities before being included in the drug's instructions. In the process of clinical use, new effects are often unintentionally discovered and proven to be effective through practice, gradually gaining recognition from clinicians.
This is known as "off-label use". Take sertraline as an example, the content listed in its instructions is all about treating psychiatric disorders, with no mention of treating premature ejaculation. However, doctors accidentally discovered that sertraline could significantly prolong the latency period of ejaculation and increase the sensory threshold of the penis in premature ejaculation patients, achieving the effect of delaying ejaculation. As a result, sertraline has been used to treat premature ejaculation, which can be considered a case of "hitting the mark by chance".
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), including sertraline, can be used in clinical practice to treat premature ejaculation, and this usage has been officially approved in many European countries.
Of course, not all "off-label uses" are approved by relevant authorities, like sertraline. However, clinicians do not make arbitrary expansions of a medication's indications. Additionally, when using it in clinical practice, doctors must provide necessary information and explanations to obtain the patient's consent.
