drug holiday

American  

noun

1. a brief period during which a patient stops taking a prescribed medication, especially an antidepressant, to recover some normal functions, reduce side effects, or maintain sensitivity to the drug.

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Example Sentences

Each child who rebounded with signs of HIV in their blood responded well to restarting ART, and Persaud says there is at least a psychological benefit to taking what some call a drug holiday.

From Science Magazine

“When the drugs are used correctly for three to five years, followed by a drug holiday, and attention is paid to warning symptoms like leg or dental pain, the benefits of treatment way outweigh the risks,” he said.

From New York Times

It did suggest a scheme in which these draconian measures could be relaxed once in a while—a kind of collective “drug holiday” —and then reimposed when case numbers start to climb again.

From Science Magazine

Moreover, if it turns out that a cocktail of bNAbs could act as a potential temporary replacement for ART, this type of ‘drug holiday’ might give people time to recover from ART-induced toxicity.

From Nature

If muscle damage is not present, temporarily discontinuing statins — in what doctors call a “drug holiday” — and restarting at a lower dose may be tried.

From New York Times