Who is responsible for regulating prescription drugs?

The FDA, or Food and Drug Administration, is the primary agency responsible for regulating prescription drugs in the United States. This entails evaluating the safety and efficacy of new medications before they can be marketed and ensuring that medications remain safe for consumer use. The FDA sets standards for drug manufacturing, labeling, and advertising, and also oversees post-market surveillance to monitor the effects of drugs once they are on the market.

While other agencies like the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) also play a role in regulating certain aspects of drugs—particularly controlled substances—the FDA is the main regulatory body overseeing the comprehensive approval and monitoring of all prescription drugs. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) focuses on public health and disease prevention, and the WHO (World Health Organization) operates internationally to address global health issues, but neither of these organizations is responsible for regulating prescription medications in a manner similar to the FDA.

Thus, the FDA's role encompasses the entirety of the drug approval process, making it the correct response for the regulation of prescription drugs.