The Food and Drug Administration's six Centers are involved in the oversight and regulation of more than 1 trillion dollars' worth of products annually. That amount accounts for 22 cents of every dollar spent each year by American consumers.

Center for Drug Evaluation and Research

Oversees the safety and effectiveness of medical drugs and monitors the accuracy of labels and label-related advertising.

Upcoming: developing new and improved methods to provide accurate and timely information to patients and health care providers to ensure the safe and effective use of drugs.

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

Oversees the safety and security of most of the food (including dietary supplements) consumed in America as well as cosmetics, whether they are domestically produced or imported. The center emphasizes the importance of preventing foodborne illness through education, surveillance, and analysis, and mandates uniform food labels to help consumers prepare healthy diets and avoid hazards such as allergens.

Upcoming: addressing obesity, and developing forensic microbiology.

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research

Oversees the safety and effectiveness of biological products, including vaccines, blood and blood components, human tissues, certain medical devices, and novel products such as cell and gene therapies.

Upcoming: new vaccines, testing methods using DNA, and "cell transplants," such as treatments that use stem cells. …