Another reason not to trust the poor excuse that doles out drug "safety" called the FDA: The Department of Health and Human Services reports about 9,200 prescription drugs aren't listed in the most current FDA National Drug Code Directory.

What's more, the directory continued to list some 34,000 medications that were put there by error and discontinued for whatever reason, ballooning the number of drugs listed to nearly 124,000. Another subtle sign of the unchecked greed of the mega-drugmakers at work: The size of the directory has tripled in the past 16 years, when the book listed just 39,000 drugs in 1990.

The origin of the problems with the directory stems from drug companies ignoring mandatory listing requirements, something the FDA could better enforce but hasn't since the agency set up new guidelines for misbranded drugs a year ago.

Instead, the FDA would rather speed up the testing of dangerous, experimental drugs and fast track others.

San Francisco Chronicle August 14, 2006

Department of Health and Human Services August 2006 Free Full PDF Report