Off-label prescribing in functional medicine: indemnity, informed consent and defensibility

In this episode of Confidence to Thrive, Owlicity directors Christopher Cloke-Browne and Roger Houston discuss off-label prescribing and how functional medicine practitioners can protect themselves.

They define off-label use as prescribing outside British National Formulary licensed indications or doses, and explain how standard indemnity policies often exclude such use, leaving practitioners uninsured and unprotected.

They discuss the significance of Owlicity’s functional medicine indemnity with explicit off-label cover, the growing underwriting focus on detailed disclosure and “statement of facts,” and the need for contract certainty.

Their discussion also covers the need to build defensible practice through evidence, enhanced monitoring, and transparent informed consent - particularly important with emerging, unregulated treatments like peptides - as well as the added regulatory risk from GMC scrutiny and third-party complaints from other clinicians.

Episode time stamps

• 00:45 What is off-label prescribing?
• 02:25 The pitfalls of generic insurance
• 06:19 Evidence and innovation
• 08:50 The reality of underwriting
• 10:15 Why peptides offer a unique challenge
• 12:55 The importance of informed consent and disclosure
• 15:24 GMC complaint risks
• 17:04 Thyroid case study
• 24:04 A practical checklist for practitioners

Who are Owlicity?

This podcast was brought to you by Owlicity Insurance Advisors who support your business ambitions. Owlicity advises practitioners, owners, and entrepreneurs of healthcare practises on mitigating risks so your business can thrive.

Learn more about how Owlicity can support here: Owlicity.co.uk

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