Doctors write millions of prescriptions for unapproved drugs

In a shocker of huge proportions, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve of certain drugs that are prescribed to the tune of 65 million prescriptions each years to patients. Huh?

How are doctors prescribing drugs that should not even be for sale to the public in the first place? The FDA even admits that some of the drugs in question could be dangerous. How they get into the hands of patients is by way of a "black hole" in the drug approval system. Well, according to Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass.

In what appears to be a complete failure of the drug pharmaceutical classification system, a drug is given a 10-digit number when it is submitted to the FDA for approval. Problem is, pharmacists use that same number -- regardless of approval or not -- to dole out prescriptions.

Umm, some more detail is needed in the system I think. In a situation of nobody questioning any processes, many doctors and pharmacists seem unaware of this wrinkle in the approval process, according to the story. What a mess.