The U S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA: What It Is and What It Does
The U S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a Department of Health and Human Services agency and has eight centers/offices. The agency grew from a single chemist in the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1862 to a staff of around 9,100 employees and a budget of $1.294 billion in 2001 (History of the FDA). According to its Web site, the FDA is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation's food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation (FDA's mission statement). And, the FDA is responsible for advancing the public health by helping to speed innovations that make medicines and foods more effective, safer, and more affordable; and helping the public get the accurate, science-based information they need to use medicines and foods to improve their health. The agency's impact on the commercial market is enormous; it oversees items accounting for one fourth of every dollar spent by consumers (History of the FDA). Direct-
The FDA does not appear to be meeting its mission for making sure the public gets the accurate science-based information they need to use medicines and foods to improve their health. Because of the number of DTC ads, the agency is overwhelmed, only screening 10 to 20 percent of all drug promotions (The great direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising con, 2005). The Acting Director of the FDA's Marketing Division admits that one-half of medical journal ads violate FDA standards. Even so, the FDA is emphasizing the consumer benefits of DTC advertising and is suggesting further relaxation of regulations (Three new FDA guidances expected to spur increased direct-to-consumer advertising of drugs and devices, 2004). The agency cites research on the effect that DTC promotion has on public health such as including increasing patient awareness, stimulating doctor visits, and helping to identify previously undiagnosed conditions. By 2000, annual spending on DTC advertising rose to $2.5 billion resulting in a dramatic increase in prescriptions (Macias a
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Approximate Word count = 712
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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