FDA Fundamentals
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It consists of the Office of the Commissioner and four directorates overseeing the core functions of the agency: Medical Products and Tobacco, Foods and Veterinary Medicine, Global Regulatory Operations and Policy, and Operations.
FDA is responsible for
- protecting the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, quality, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products, and medical devices. The FDA is also responsible for the safety and security of most of our nation’s food supply, all cosmetics, dietary supplements and products that give off radiation.
- regulating tobacco products. More...
FDA Basics Videos
Meet some of the people who lead critical initiatives at the FDA.
How do we fight pandemics and help in the development of vaccines? What role does FDA play in ensuring the safety dietary supplements, protecting our beloved animals, monitoring new drugs, and helping individuals get the best medical care? Find out more about all the things FDA does directly from the people who do it. Watch FDA Basics Videos...
FDA Overview
Data, Methods and Limitations
FDA History
Approval Process
Advisory Committees
What is an FDA Advisory Committee? How does an individual become a member of an FDA advisory committee? What are the qualifications of a scientific member of an advisory committee? What is a conflict of interest? What is a financial conflict of interest waiver? How is a potential advisory committee member screened for conflicts of interests?
Safety
Information about FDA
How can the public request documents from FDA? How can I find out the status of my FOIA request? How do I find the latest information on the Web site? How do I sign up for e-mails and alerts? How can I share my ideas and suggestions with FDA? What is a docket? How do I submit comments to a docket? How do I find comments submitted to a docket? - Where should I go to find consumer information on www.FDA.gov?
- What other government- supported websites does FDA recommend as reliable sources for health -related information?
What non-government websites does FDA recommend?