About the Food and Drug Administration

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calls itself the nation's oldest consumer protection agency. This agency, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, regulates billions of dollars worth of products, including food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. It has a long history and has gained its share of critics in that time.

History

• A 1906 law signed by then-President Theodore Roosevelt gave the FDA its modern regulatory authority. Its roots, however, go back the 1800s to a government agency that regulated the safety of agricultural products.

Function

• The FDA strives to ensure the safety of the nation's food, medicines and cosmetics. It also provides science-based information for the public on safe use of these products.

Geography

• The FDA is headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, near Washington, D.C., but has dozens of centers and laboratories across the country.

Features

• The FDA is headed by a commissioner. Major organizations within the agency include the Office of Regulatory Affairs, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, the Center for Drug Evaluation and the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

Criticisms

• The FDA has faced criticism across the spectrum. Some critics claim the agency exceeds its authority through over-regulation, while others charge that it is overly influenced by the pharmaceutical industry and thus, does not regulate enough.