Innovation, Regulation, and the FDA

Abstract

More than a century ago, Congress passed the 1906 Pure Food and Drugs Act, which transformed a small scientific bureau in the basement of the Department of Agriculture building into a federal regulatory agency charged with protecting the nation's supply of food and drugs. This regulatory agency would eventually become the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Since the agency was founded, advances in science and medicine have transformed our understanding and treatment of many diseases. And the FDA has evolved in response to our changing world, taking on new responsibilities and playing a critical role in promoting and protecting the health of the public.