An Introduction to the Work of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Essay

The United Sates Food and Drug Administration has been protecting American consumers for around 70 years. The FDA assures the safety drugs, medical devices, chemicals, cosmetics, foods and additives by evaluating products for approval. Controversy has recently been surrounding the FDA's drug approval process, due to a general trend to get pharmaceuticals on the market more quickly. The FDA has been under pressure from congress and the public to speed approval, but pharmaceutical companies, who benefit more than anyone form accelerated drug approval, have also been applying pressure to the FDA through congress. The speeding of the approval process helps patients with incurable illnesses receive experimental drugs, but some wonder if the FDA is weakening its safeguards in the process. Since the passing of the Modernization Act last year, people have become concerned with the safety of dietary supplements and 'off-label' uses for drugs. In the past year, drugs have been approved at an unprecedented rate, but they also have been withdrawn from the market more frequently. The recent growth in the popularity of dietary supplements has caused many to worry about their safety. Thus, there remains the question if the FDA is still adequately protecting us from dangerous drugs.The Food and Drug Administration began in the U.S. in 1927 as a separate law enforcement agency and now employs over 9,000 workers spread over 157 cities (The Food and Drug Administration An Overview 1). Four laws dictate the power of the FDA. The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act established purity standards and introduced the requirement of factory inspection. The FDA's authority to require honest informative and standardized drug and device labels was established by The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act. The Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act guarantees consumers protection from excess radiation in certain devices. Lastly, The Public Health Service Act expanded the FDA's authority to cover serums and vaccines and also justified the inspections of restaurants (Food and Drug Administration Britannica)....

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