USC - Food and Drug Administration

View all text of Subchapter X [§ 391 - § 399i]

§ 393. Food and Drug Administration

(a) In general

(b) MissionThe Administration shall—

(1) promote the public health by promptly and efficiently reviewing clinical research and taking appropriate action on the marketing of regulated products in a timely manner;

(2) with respect to such products, protect the public health by ensuring that—

(A) foods are safe, wholesome, sanitary, and properly labeled;

(B) human and veterinary drugs are safe and effective;

(D) cosmetics are safe and properly labeled; and

(E) public health and safety are protected from electronic product radiation;

(3) participate through appropriate processes with representatives of other countries to reduce the burden of regulation, harmonize regulatory requirements, and achieve appropriate reciprocal arrangements; and

(4) as determined to be appropriate by the Secretary, carry out paragraphs (1) through (3) in consultation with experts in science, medicine, and public health, and in cooperation with consumers, users, manufacturers, importers, packers, distributors, and retailers of regulated products.

(d) Commissioner

(1) Appointment

(2) General powersThe Secretary, through the Commissioner, shall be responsible for executing this chapter and for—

(A) providing overall direction to the Food and Drug Administration and establishing and implementing general policies respecting the management and operation of programs and activities of the Food and Drug Administration;

(B) coordinating and overseeing the operation of all administrative entities within the Administration;

(D) conducting educational and public information programs relating to the responsibilities of the Food and Drug Administration; and

(E) performing such other functions as the Secretary may prescribe.

(e) Technical and scientific review groups

(f) Agency plan for statutory compliance

(1) In general

(2) Objectives of agency planThe plan required by paragraph (1) shall establish objectives and mechanisms to achieve such objectives, including objectives related to—

(A) maximizing the availability and clarity of information about the process for review of applications and submissions (including petitions, notifications, and any other similar forms of request) made under this chapter;

(B) maximizing the availability and clarity of information for consumers and patients concerning new products;

(D) ensuring access to the scientific and technical expertise needed by the Secretary to meet obligations described in paragraph (1);

(E) establishing mechanisms, by July 1, 1999, for meeting the time periods specified in this chapter for the review of all applications and submissions described in subparagraph (A) and submitted after November 21, 1997; and

(F) eliminating backlogs in the review of applications and submissions described in subparagraph (A), by January 1, 2000.

(g) Annual reportThe Secretary shall annually prepare and publish in the Federal Register and solicit public comment on a report that—

(1) provides detailed statistical information on the performance of the Secretary under the plan described in subsection (f);

(2) compares such performance of the Secretary with the objectives of the plan and with the statutory obligations of the Secretary; and

(3) identifies any regulatory policy that has a significant negative impact on compliance with any objective of the plan or any statutory obligation and sets forth any proposed revision to any such regulatory policy.

(h) Annual report regarding foodNot later than February 1 of each year, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report, including efforts to coordinate and cooperate with other Federal agencies with responsibilities for food inspections, regarding—

(1) information about food facilities including—

(A) the appropriations used to inspect facilities registered pursuant to section 350d of this title in the previous fiscal year;

(B) the average cost of both a non-high-risk food facility inspection and a high-risk food facility inspection, if such a difference exists, in the previous fiscal year;

(C) the number of domestic facilities and the number of foreign facilities registered pursuant to section 350d of this title that the Secretary inspected in the previous fiscal year;

(D) the number of domestic facilities and the number of foreign facilities registered pursuant to section 350d of this title that were scheduled for inspection in the previous fiscal year and which the Secretary did not inspect in such year;

(E) the number of high-risk facilities identified pursuant to section 350j of this title that the Secretary inspected in the previous fiscal year; and

(F) the number of high-risk facilities identified pursuant to section 350j of this title that were scheduled for inspection in the previous fiscal year and which the Secretary did not inspect in such year.

(2) information about food imports including—

(A) the number of lines of food imported into the United States that the Secretary physically inspected or sampled in the previous fiscal year;

(B) the number of lines of food imported into the United States that the Secretary did not physically inspect or sample in the previous fiscal year; and

(C) the average cost of physically inspecting or sampling a line of food subject to this chapter that is imported or offered for import into the United States; and

(3) information on the foreign offices of the Food and Drug Administration including—

(A) the number of foreign offices established; and

(B) the number of personnel permanently stationed in each foreign office.

(i) Public availability of annual food reports

(June 25, 1938, ch. 675, § 1003, formerly § 903, as added Pub. L. 100–607, title V, § 503(a), Nov. 4, 1988, 102 Stat. 3121; amended Pub. L. 100–690, title II, § 2631, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4244; Pub. L. 105–115, title IV, §§ 406, 414, Nov. 21, 1997, 111 Stat. 2369, 2377; renumbered § 1003 and amended Pub. L. 111–31, div. A, title I, §§ 101(b)(2), 103(m), June 22, 2009, 123 Stat. 1784, 1838; Pub. L. 111–353, title II, § 201(b), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3925.)