What is the full form of USFDA or FDA?

USFDA or FDA: United States Food and Drug Administration

USFDA stands for United States Food and Drug Administration. It is also known as the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). It is a Federal agency that belongs to the US Department of Health and Human Services. It is the main regulating authority of Food and Drug items in the USA. It was set up in 1906 after the Federal Food and Drugs Act was passed.

FDA is headquartered in White Oak, Maryland and comprises Office of the Commissioner and four directorates that oversee the main functions of the FDA. We can say that it is divided into different divisions that manage most of the functions of the agency related to food, drugs, animal food, cosmetics, medical devices, dietary supplements, blood products, etc. It has over 200 branches and 13 laboratories located across the United States. Since 2008, it is posting its employees to other countries like India, China, Belgium, Costa Rica, Chile, and more.

FDA is responsible for the enforcement of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and various other similar laws. It is headed by the Commissioner of Food and Drugs who is appointed by the President after consulting the senate. The commissioner reports to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The current commissioner of FDA as of June 2020 is Stephen M. Hahn. He assumed office on 17 December 2019.

Major functions of the USFDA:

• To protect public health by confirming the safety, efficiency, and security of drugs, biological products, medical equipment, as well as to ensure the safety of food items, cosmetics, and items that emit radiations
• To regulate the production, marketing, and distribution of tobacco products to safeguard public health and to prevent the use of tobacco by minors
• To promote public health by supporting innovations or inventions that make drugs, medical devices, etc., safer, effective and affordable
• To regulate the development of new drugs and develop rules related to clinical trials that must be followed on all new medications
• It can inspect and review production facilities that produce products like food, drugs, tobacco, medical equipment, etc.
• It also helps the nation to counter-terrorism by ensuring the security of food supply and fostering the development of drugs and medical products in response to deliberate public health threats
• It approves regulated products before they are sold in the United States
• It can recall products from the market if required for safety and other reasons

FDA approval is very important for the big companies that are producing new drugs on a large scale, as without FDA approval, the products regulated by the FDA cannot be sold in the US.