OBJECTIVE: To control the risk of off-label drug use,and to provide reference for rational drug use. METHODS: Outpatient prescriptions were selected by stratified equal proportion sampling method from a third grade class A hospital during Jun. 2015-Jun. 2016. According to the latest edition of drug instruction issued by CFDA, the off-label prescriptions were screened and analyzed statistically. According to Micromedex tools and literatures report, guidelines, off-label drug use and related severe ADR were analyzed. RESULTS: Of 3 025 outpatient prescriptions, 11.2% of prescriptions (339 pieces) were considered as off-label prescriptions, including without indication (88.7%), over dose (6.0%), beyond route of administration (3.2%) and beyond adapt-to-the-crowd (2.1%). Gastroesophagedal reflux was the main diagosis (16.0%). 1.5% of off-label drug use were supported by FDA-approved labels, 83.8% of them were supported by international and national guidelines, 12.4% of them were supported by expert consensus, and 2.4% of them were supported by other literature report. Thirteen items of off-label drug use had been included in Micromedex, recommendation grade and evidence intensity of which varied. Eight drugs of off-label drug use were reported to result in serious ADR. CONCLUSIONS: All off-label drug use in outpatient department of this hospital is supported by evidence-based medical evidence. But the quality of evidence varies. In the practice, physicians and pharmacists should balance the benefit and risk of off-labed drug use carefully.