USFDA stands for United States Food and Drug Administration. It is also known as FDA (Food and Drug Administration). It is a federal agency that belongs to the US Department of Health and Human Services. It is the main regulatory authority for food and drug commodities in the United States. It was established in 1906 after the Federal Food and Drug Act was passed. The FDA is headquartered in White Oak, Maryland and consists of the Commissioner's Office and four directorates that oversee the core functions of the FDA. We can say that it is divided into various divisions which manages most of the functions of the agency related to food, medicines, animal food, cosmetics, medical devices, dietary supplements, blood products etc. It has more than 200 branches and 13 laboratories located. across the United States. Since 2008, it has been posting its employees in India, China, Belgium, Costa Rica, Chile and other countries. The FDA is responsible for enforcing the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, and other similar laws. It is headed by the Food and Drug Commissioner who is appointed by the President after consultation with the Senate. The Commissioner reports to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The current FDA Commissioner as of June 2020 is Stephen M. Hahn. He assumed the office on 17 December 2019.
Major functions of the USFDA: