Drugs@FDA Glossary

Created by: FDA/Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
The Drugs@FDA Glossary is brought to you by the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CEDER) , one of the eight centers/offices of the FDA, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and helps you to understand the terminology used by CEDER during the Drugs Approval Process.

FDA is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services and is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. The FDA is also responsible for advancing the public health by helping to speed innovations that make medicines and foods more effective, safer, and more affordable; and helping the public get the accurate, science-based information they need to use medicines and foods to improve their health.