WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A form of liquid morphine used by terminally ill patients will remain on the market even though it is an `` unapproved drug , '' according to a decision by the Food and Drug Administration . Last month , the FDA warned nine companies to stop selling unapproved pain-relief drugs . After talking with hospital and hospice organizations , which expressed concern that taking the product off the market would result in hardship for terminally ill patients and their caregivers , the agency decided to extend the usage of morphine sulfate oral solution 20 mg/ml . The agency wants to ensure there is no shortage of the drug while patients wait for an approved product to take its place . `` While the FDA remains committed to ultimately ensuring that all prescription drugs on the market are FDA approved , we have to balance that goal with flexibility and compassion for patients who have a few alternatives for the alleviation of their pain , '' Dr. Douglas Throckmorton , deputy director of the FDA 's Center for drug Evaluation and Research , said Thursday . `` In light of the concerns raised by these patients and their health-care providers , we have adjusted our actions with regard to these particular products . '' Last month , the FDA sent warning letters to nine companies telling them to stop manufacturing 14 unapproved narcotics that are widely used to treat pain . Seven of those companies made or distributed the oral morphine . The morphine elixir is widely used by terminal patients in hospital and home hospice care settings and is manufactured by Lehigh Valley Technologies Inc. , Mallinckrodt Inc. . Pharmaceuticals Group , Boehringer Ingelheim Roxane Inc. and Cody Laboratories , Inc. . In its warning letter last month , the agency gave the companies 60 days to stop manufacturing the drug before enforcement action was taken . Thursday 's announcement did not prompt immediate reactions from the companies . A spokesman for Cody Laboratories said the firm did not have all the details of the decision . Other companies did not immediately return calls from CNN . The FDA estimates there are several thousand drugs , mostly older products , marketed illegally without FDA approval in this country . Once an illegally marketed drug is identified , enforcement action begins because the agency does not have information on the quality of these drugs and has not had an opportunity to approve their labeling . In 1976 the agency began a program to bring companies manufacturing these drugs into compliance . Thursday 's announcement applies only to the morphine sulfate elixir 20mg/ml , and the warning letters sent to the other product manufacturers are still in effect . Currently there are no approved morphine sulfate oral solution 20mg/ml products on the market . Until there are , the FDA says it will allow companies making and distributing the unapproved drugs to continue , until 180 days after any company receives approval to manufacture a new morphine replacement drug of the same dosage . The FDA says it expects all companies marketing unapproved drugs to submit the necessary applications to get approval for those drugs .