The
Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the US government
which is responsible for assuring the safety of foods and
cosmetics and the safety and effectiveness of pharmaceutical
products (including drugs)
and medical devices.
Before a drug can be marketed in the US,
it is reviewed by the FDA. FDA approval is granted only if
the drug has been subjected to a rigorous set of clinical
studies which prove both that the drug is effective and
that it does not have unacceptable side effects if used as
specified on the label. FDA review also helps determine what
dosages are recommended. Full details of this process are
available at http://www.fda.gov/cder.
by Catherine E. Myers. Copyright © 2006 Memory Loss and the Brain |
