Food, Drug, and
Cosmetics Acts of
1938, 1954, 1958
By Carly Mackay
This act was
created to
protect
consumers
from harmful
products in the
drugs, food,
and cosmetics
they bought
Gave the Food
and Drug
administration the
power to oversee
the safety of food,
drugs, and
cosmetics
• Presented to Franklin Roosevelt by
Congress; he signed it on June 25, 1938
• Replaced the 1906 Food and drugs act
which was weakly enforced
• 1954 Pesticides Amendment (set limits for
pesticide residue on agricultural goods)
• 1958 Food Additives Amendment
(required FDA approval of any food
additive found to cause cancer in humans
or animals)
“The American Chamber of Horrors” = The list of products that
were not included in the 1906 version of this law. They
included:
According
to,
“http://www
.fda.gov/oc/
history/hist
oryoffda/se
ction2.html”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Banbar, a worthless "cure" for diabetes that the old law protected
Lash-Lure, an eyelash dye that blinded some women
Numerous examples of foods deceptively packaged or labeled
Radithor, a radium-containing tonic that sentenced users to a slow and painful
death
The Wilhide Exhaler, which falsely promised to cure tuberculosis and other
pulmonary diseases
This legislative act was finally brought to the public’s attention
when a drug company marketed Elixir Sulfanilamide, which
contained a deadly chemical similar to antifreeze. Over 100
people died after using this product that was untested.
Goals of The FDCA
1. Protect the public’s safety “The FDA ensures safety through inspections of
products already on the market, controls the
manufacturing practices of companies, and possesses
recall and seizure authority.”
according to http://www.answers.com/topic/federal-food-drug-and-cosmetic-act
2. To reveal information to consumers The FDA outlaws misbranding and incorrect product
labeling and requires some information on product
labels like:
a.
b.
The nutritional content box
Possible side effects and drug interactions