FDA
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a federal agency that regulates the safety and effectiveness of human drugs, vaccines, biological products, medical devices, radiation-emitting products, tobacco products, cosmetics, and animal drugs, food and feed. The FDA also ensures the safety of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. The FDA is responsible for protecting the public health by ensuring that the products it regulates are safe and effective.
What is the FDA?
The FDA is an independent agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is headed by a Commissioner who is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The Commissioner is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the FDA.
What does the FDA do?
The FDA has a broad range of responsibilities, including:
- Protecting the public health: The FDA's primary responsibility is to protect the public health by ensuring that the products it regulates are safe and effective.
- Regulating the safety and effectiveness of drugs, vaccines, biological products, medical devices, radiation-emitting products, tobacco products, cosmetics, and animal drugs, food and feed: The FDA regulates the safety and effectiveness of all these products by reviewing scientific data, conducting inspections, and taking enforcement actions.
- Ensuring the safety of our nation's food supply: The FDA ensures the safety of our nation's food supply by inspecting food processing facilities, testing food products, and taking enforcement actions.
- Ensuring the safety of cosmetics: The FDA ensures the safety of cosmetics by reviewing the ingredients in cosmetics, conducting inspections, and taking enforcement actions.
- Ensuring the safety of products that emit radiation: The FDA ensures the safety of products that emit radiation by reviewing the design and construction of these products, conducting inspections, and taking enforcement actions.
