The United States Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA, FDCA, or FD&C) is a set of laws passed by Congress that give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to oversee the safety of food, drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics. The FDCA is located in the United States Code, beginning at 21 U.S.C. §301.
In Massachusetts, as in all states, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) provides the framework for the regulation of food, drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics. This federal law, which is found in Title 21 of the United States Code starting at Section 301, grants the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to ensure that these products are safe for public consumption and use. The FDA's regulatory powers include the ability to approve new drugs and medical devices before they can be sold, to set standards for food safety, to regulate the labeling and advertising of products, and to take enforcement actions against companies that violate the FDCA. While the FDCA is a federal statute and applies uniformly across all states, Massachusetts may also have its own additional regulations that complement the federal rules, particularly in areas where the state has decided to impose stricter standards.