Gabapentin is FDA-approved for 2 conditions. Why is it prescribed for more than a dozen others?

Gabapentin — an anti-seizure drug also approved for nerve pain related to shingles — is now among the most widely prescribed drugs in the country. It's used off-label to treat menopausal hot flashes, back pain, nerve pain, fibromyalgia, itching, restless leg syndrome and more.

While it works well for some of these conditions, those studying the drug say evidence of its benefits is pretty slim for others.

Host Robin Young — who learned about the drug after suffering from nerve damage to her hand following a recent shoulder replacement surgery — talks to gerontologist Michael Steinman, professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. Steinman is also co-chair of the U.S. Deprescribing Research Network.