Food and Drug Administration, U.S.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the federal agency responsible for ensuring the safety of foods (other than meat and poultry) and of therapeutic biological products such as vaccines, cosmetics, medical devices, radiological products, human drugs, and veterinary drugs. Originally called the Bureau of Chemistry, the agency name was changed to the Food and Drug Administration in 1930. Although currently housed within the Department of Health and Human Services, historically the FDA has been housed in the Department of Agriculture, the Federal Security, the Public Health Service, and the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, the predecessor to Health and Human Services. In 1862, Charles M. Weatherill was appointed the first chemist of the Department of Agriculture. In 1883, Harvey Wiley became the chief ...