FDA Overview
Slide 2of 32
Next slide | Previous
Every day, every American comes in contact with a host of FDA-regulated products.
Varied products
. . . Everything from the most common food ingredients to complex medical and surgical devices, lifesaving drugs, and radiation-emitting consumer and medical products.
$ 1 trillion a year
In fact, FDA-regulated products account for about 25 cents of every consumer dollar spent.
Varied approaches
FDA's regulatory approaches are as varied as the products it regulates. Some products -- such as new drugs and complex medical devices -- must be proven safe and effective before companies can put them on the market.
Other products -- such as x-ray machines and microwave ovens -- must measure up to performance standards.
And some products -- such as cosmetics and dietary supplements -- can be marketed with no prior approval.
These differences are dictated by the laws we enforce and the relative risks that the products pose to consumers.