Food and Drug Administration (FDA), agency of the Public Health Service division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is charged with protecting public health by ensuring that foods are safe and pure, cosmetics and other chemical substances harmless, and products safe, effective, and honestly labeled. The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938 and various bills since have strengthened government control by requiring prior-evidence-of-safety tests and procedures for new drugs, pesticides, and additives and colorings in foods and cosmetics. The FDA was first established in 1931; in 1940 it was transferred from the Dept. of Agriculture to the Federal Security Agency and in 1953 to the Dept. of Health, Education and Welfare, which was redesignated as Health and Human Services in 1979. The FDA consists of the centers for Drug Evaluation and Research, Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Veterinary Medicine, Devices and Radiological Health, and Toxicological Research. In the early 1990s, in response to criticism that its time-consuming approval processes penalized people with AIDS, it extended the classification system it uses to prioritize drugs in order to give AIDS drugs the highest priority; it also subsequently sped up the approval process for cancer drugs. Congressional legislation in 1997 mandated an overhaul of the FDA in order to speed review of new drugs and medical devices.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Established in 1927, it inspects, tests, approves, and sets safety standards for foods and food additives, drugs, chemicals, cosmetics, and household and medical devices. It can prevent untested products from being sold and take legal action to halt the sale of undoubtedly harmful products or of products that involve a health or safety risk. Its authority is limited to interstate commerce; it cannot control prices nor directly regulate advertising except of prescription drugs and medical devices.

Mentioned in	?		References in periodicals archive	?		Encyclopedia browser	?		Full browser	?
No references found	The American Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved Medtronic's Reclaim device as the first implant to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder, which causes uncontrollable worries, such as fear of germs or dirt. FDA approves brain-zapping device to relieve OCD by Daily News Egypt (Egypt) After reviewing 27 clinical trials, the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the daily consumption of 25 grams of soy (in Japan 7-11 grams) for lowering cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease. The soy controversy by Arab News (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) Although the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is known to be strict on product rules, in his experience it has nothing on India, he adds. Red tape wrangles for Albert by Evening Gazette (Middlesbrough, England)	American boreal faunal region American boring system American Bracketed style American Broadcasting Company American caisson American Canoe Association American Cave Conservation Association American Civil Liberties Union American Civil War American Colonial architecture American Colonial Revival American Colonization Society American concentration camps American Conservation Association American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac American explosive American Express Co. American Farmland Trust American Federation of Labor American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees American Federation of Teachers American Film Institute American filter American Food and Drug Administration American football American Forests American Foulbrood American four-square house American foxhound American Fur Co. American Fur Company American Geographical Society American Gothic American Hiking Society American Historical Association American holly American hophornbeam American hornbeam American Indian American Indian Heritage Month American Indian Languages American Indian Literatures American Indian Movement American Indian religions, North American Indian religions, South American Indians American Institute of Architects American International style American jade	American Fitness Alliance American Fitness and Nutrition Academy American flag American flag American Flag and Touch Football League American Flag Day Association American flagfish American Flagship Service American Fleet Leasing Association American Fletcher National Bank American Flight Airways American Flight Echocardiograph American Flint Glass Workers Union American Flock Association American Floral Industry Association American Fly Fishing Trade Association American fly honeysuckle American flying squirrel American Folk Art Museum American Folk Blues Festival American Folk Dance American Folk Dance American Folk Festival American Folk Musicians Association American Folklife Center American Folklife Center American Folklife Center American Folklore Society American Food and Drug Administration American Food Safety Institute American Food Safety Institute, International American Food Service American football American football American Football (disambiguation) American Football (disambiguation) American Football Association of Japan American Football Bond Nederland American Football Coaches Association American Football Coaches Wives Association American Football Conference American Football Conference North Division American football field American football field American football game American Football in Israel American Football League American Football League Nederland American football linebacker American Football New Zealand American Football Officials Nederland American football positions American Football Schiedsrichter Vereinigung American Football Schiedsrichter Vereinigung Deutschland American Football Travel International American Football Verband Deutschland

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

Encyclopedia browser

Full browser

No references found

The American Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved Medtronic's Reclaim device as the first implant to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder, which causes uncontrollable worries, such as fear of germs or dirt.

FDA approves brain-zapping device to relieve OCD by Daily News Egypt (Egypt)

After reviewing 27 clinical trials, the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the daily consumption of 25 grams of soy (in Japan 7-11 grams) for lowering cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease.

The soy controversy by Arab News (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)

Although the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is known to be strict on product rules, in his experience it has nothing on India, he adds.

Red tape wrangles for Albert by Evening Gazette (Middlesbrough, England)

American boreal faunal region

American boring system

American Bracketed style

American Broadcasting Company

American caisson

American Canoe Association

American Cave Conservation Association

American Civil Liberties Union

American Civil War