FDA stands for Food and Drug Administration. The FDA is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA regulates foods, prescription and over-the-counter drugs, cosmetics, veterinary and tobacco products, vaccines, electronic devices such as those that emit radiation, as well as X-ray machines and medical devices. The FDA is the oldest government organization dedicated to shopper safety. The FDA, although not originally called that, began in 1906 with the passage of the Pure Food and Drugs Act. This act was designed to prevent mislabeled food and drug products and was the beginning of ensuring that every ingredient was reported on the labels. In fact, this act was entrusted to the Bureau of Chemistry section of the United States Department of Agriculture, which in 1930 was renamed the FDA. The responsibilities of the FDA have been completely changed since 1906. The market itself, the science behind it, and the cultural and political environment, and economic changes have undergone sudden changes over the past 108 years. Therefore, a long-standing discussion has developed as to whether or not the FDA is necessary. People who are actually against the FDA complain that they take too long to approve drugs and spend too much government money. Those at the FDA argue that the agency keeps us safe and without it many Americans could suffer serious side effects or even die. While I see both sides regarding the need for the FDA, I admit that it is helping us more than hurting us. The FDA is a necessary agency because it regulates what is put in our cosmetics and skin care products as well as the labeling on them so we can avoid false advertising. In fact, two years ago, the FDA added new regulations for… middle of the paper… that could potentially harm many people. But Americans, foreigners, and Johnson & Johnson ignored the FDA because of the popular belief that the FDA was too regulatory and picky. However, in the process of not listening to the FDA, so many people were harmed. Other countries' FDA versions have also approved it, which shows how lax other countries were/are. Even though Americans constantly have doubts about the FDA, they still have our best interests in mind. The FDA is vital to our country, even if it makes mistakes. Sometimes the FDA can be too strict or take too long to approve a drug. But I think, in most cases, the FDA really cares about our country and wants to be on the good side of the people rather than the good of corporations. The FDA has a public mission to keep our country healthy, and I feel pretty safe in their hands.