READ THIS POST: For this discussion I chose to evaluate the Food and Drug Administration. "The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for protecting the public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, and medical devices; and by ensuring the safety of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation" (What We Do, 2018).

The FDA is an important organization in the US because it is put into place as a regulatory agency that is meant to ensure the public that whatever is approved:

• They have been tested for efficiency and safety
• Food is safe, wholesome, sanitary, and properly labeled
• Manufacturing practices and quality control standards have been met
• Medication dosage levels have been established by valid pharmaceutical research
• The manufacturer has worked with doctors and veterinarians to ensure proper usage and efficiency
• The manufacturer will work with your doctor or veterinarian to stand behind the performance and safety of the product

(Why the FDA is Important, 2015).

The FDA is focused on regulating what products are released and available to US citizens to help ensure that they get quality products that are good and able to be consumed without injury or illness.

The FDA faces many critics as well because they tend to back some questionable products. During the 1980s it took the FDA 2.8 years to review a drug before approving it where in 2018 it only took 7.6 months on average. This is a great thing if the drugs are extremely effective and helpful, but sometimes that is not the case and with the quick research, they do not study the long term affects of the drug as well. The FDA has also found issue with its political influence recently. Especially within the last year, the FDA has had some hasty decisions on approving drugs such as malaria drugs for the treatment of COVID-19, which ended up being ineffective. During this time, it is most important that the "FDA shield its experts from political influence," Murray wrote. "If the agency fails to do so, it risks unnecessarily exposing patients to potentially severe adverse health effects and losing the public trust in the tests, drugs, and vaccines that are -- and will be -- critical for addressing the COVID-19 pandemic" (Siegel, 2020).

QUESTION: In response to your classmates' posts, state whether you agree or disagree with your classmate's position for or against the agency's role in the regulation of business, and support your stated agreement or disagreement with at least one credible resource.