Indicated vs indicted: would spellcheck catch it on a drug label?
No. "Indicated" says what a drug is recommended for; "indicted" means formally charged with a crime. Both are real words one letter apart, so spellcheck passes the swap, and on a label it lands in the line that states what the drug is for.
This page is general information, not legal or regulatory advice.
What each word means
Merriam-Webster defines "indicted" (the verb indict) as to formally charge someone with a crime. Its medical sense of indicate is to call for, especially as treatment for a particular condition. One letter is the gap between a use statement and a legal accusation.
Where indicated belongs
21 CFR 201.57 says the Indications and Usage section of prescription labeling must state that the drug is indicated for the treatment, prevention, mitigation, cure or diagnosis of a recognized disease or condition, or for the relief of its symptoms. Highlights carries a concise statement of each indication too. So "indicated" sits in the sentence that defines what the drug is for, and often more than once on the same label.
The live case
On a prescribing-information label on FDA DailyMed, an Indications line said "indicted" where it needed "indicated". Company class: US generics labeler. See indicted→indicated.
Why spellcheck misses it
Both words are in the dictionary and both fit the grammar of the sentence, so spellcheck has nothing to flag. Our view: the swap is also easy to read past, because the eye expects the familiar Indications phrasing and fills in the missing letter. For more on what spellcheck can and can't see, see does spellcheck catch wrong words on drug labels.
How to search a label for it
Practice advice:
- Search the label text for the wrong twin, not the correct one. In our view, the legal word has no business in a drug label, so any hit is worth a look.
- Search Highlights, Indications and Usage, and any patient labeling, since the use statement can repeat.
- Add the pair to your team's confusable-word list. See confusable words in drug labeling.
This is our reading of public guidance, not legal or regulatory advice.
Sources
Last reviewed: October 18, 2026
More on contextual errors in FDA DailyMed labels.
Questions about wording on your own labels? Talk to us.
We scan freshly published FDA DailyMed labels every day and pull out these high-stakes wrong words.
Every Tuesday and Friday, a new case like this lands in your inbox if you subscribe.
FAQ
What's the difference between indicated and indicted on a label?
Indicated says what a drug is recommended for; indicted means formally charged with a crime.
Would spellcheck catch indicted for indicated?
No. Both are correctly spelled real words.
Where does indicated appear on a prescription label?
In the Indications and Usage section, which 21 CFR 201.57 says must state what the drug is indicated for, and in the Highlights summary of indications.
Has indicted appeared on a real drug label?
Yes. ContextRx found it in an Indications line on a prescribing-information label on FDA DailyMed. See the case linked on this page.
How do I search a label for this swap?
Practice advice: search for the wrong twin, then read each hit in its sentence.