The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or USFDA) is a federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services; one of the federal executive departments of the United States. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food safety, products snuff, dietary supplements, pharmaceutical prescription and sales Free, vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, transfusions of blood, medical devices, electromagnetic radiation (ERED), cosmetics, animal feed and veterinary products. As of 2017, 3/4 of the FDA's budget (approximately $ 700 million) is funded by pharmaceutical companies due to the " Prescription Drug User Fee Act."
The FDA was empowered by the United States Congress to enforce the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which serves as the primary focus for the Agency; The FDA also enforces other laws, particularly Section 361 of the Public Health Services Act and associated regulations, many of which are not directly related to food or drugs. These include the regulation of lasers, cell phones, condoms, and disease control in products ranging from certain household pets to donating sperm for assisted reproduction.
The FDA is led by the Food and Drug Commissioner, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Commissioner reports to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Dr. Robert M. Califf, MD, is the current commissioner, who was taken over in February 2016 by Dr. Stephen Ostroff, who had been acting since April 2015.
The FDA is based in White Oak unincorporated, Maryland. The agency also has 223 field offices and 13 laboratories located in all 50 states, the US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. In 2008, the FDA began sending employees to foreign countries, including China, India, Costa Rica, Chile, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.
