U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Skip navigationFDA Home Page | Search FDA Site | FDA A-Z Index | Contact FDA
horizontal rule
This week in FDA history.This weekly feature from 2006, the FDA's centennial year, highlights history and progress in the agency's first 100 years.A sampling of significant events in the Food and Drug Administration's first 100 years.
Photo of HHS Secretary Leavitt talks to FDA staff.
HHS Photo by Chris Smith

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt talks with FDA staff after announcing the agency's new Drug Safety Oversight Board in February 2005.
February 15, 2005:
In response to recent concerns about the safety of a number of prescription medicines, the FDA announces the formation of a Drug Safety Oversight Board. The board will oversee the management of drug safety issues, consider decisions about risk-benefit analyses and consumer safety, and provide emerging information to health providers and patients about the risks and benefits of medicines.

FDA in 2006

One very important role of the Drug Safety Oversight Board (DSB) is to expand existing communication channels and establish new ones to communicate more clearly with the public about the FDA's evolving knowledge of drug safety concerns. By December 2005, the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
(CDER) had posted on its Web site new information for patients and health care professionals on at least 44 different drugs, reflecting issues with 6 product classes, 3 market suspensions, 2 product withdrawals, and 37 warnings added to the product label.
rule

FDA Centennial Home Page | FDA History

FDA Home Page | Search FDA Site | FDA A-Z Index | Contact FDA | Privacy | Accessibility

FDA Website Management Staff

link to FDA home page link to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services FDA logo--link to FDA home page