Food and Drugs
Food production has been regulated in the United States since the mid
1800s. But it was not until 1906, when both the Food and Drug Act and
the Meat Inspection Act were enacted, that the government took major steps
to protect consumers. The Food and Drug Act prohibited interstate commerce
in misbranded and adulterated foods, drinks, and drugs.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is one of the oldest consumer
protection agencies in this country. Since 1979, it has been a part of
the Department of Health and Human Services. It regulates products that
account for over one-fourth of all consumer spending. The FDA protects
the public from unsafe food to drugs and from medical devices to cosmetics.
It also protects the rights and safety of patients in clinical trials
of new medical products and monitors the promotional activities of drug
and device manufacturers. The FDA even regulates the labeling of all packaged
foods and the safety of the nation's blood supply.
Among important related laws passed in the United States are:
The Food Additives Amendment of 1957: requiring the
evaluation of food additives to establish safety.
The Delaney Clause of 1958: forbidding use of substances
found in foods causing cancer in laboratory animals.
The Food Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938: regulating cosmetics
and therapeutic devices.
The Kefauver-Harris Drug Amendments of 1962: requiring
drug manufacturers to show that their drugs were safe.
The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990: requiring
all packaged food to carry labels with nutrition information.
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