Answer to Question #49720 in Economics of Enterprise for Obinna

Question

Does the Food and Drug Administration, or any other agency that regulates health, operate in the interest of the public, in the interest of the people who work there, or for the special-interest lobbies?

Answer 1

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or USFDA) is a federal agency of the United States federal department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety, tobacco products, dietary supplements, prescription and over-the-counter drugs (medications), vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, blood transfusions, medical devices, radiation emitting devices (ERED), cosmetics, animal foods & feed and veterinary products. The Food and Drug Administration, or any other agency that regulates health, should operate in the interest of the public, but sometimes some people, who work there, do it in the interest of themselves, or for the special-interest lobbies.