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37 Food Drug Cosm. L.J. 5 (1982)
Introduction - The History of the 1906 Pure Food and Drugs Act and the Meat Inspection Act

handle is hein.journals/foodlj37 and id is 7 raw text is: FOOD DRUG COSMETIC LAW JOURNAL 37, 5-9 (1982) Introduction The History of the 1906 Pure Food and Drugs Act and the Meat Inspection Act DENNIS R. JOHNSON National Lawi Center, George Washington University On June 30, 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt signed two landmark acts- The Pure Food and Drugs Act, and The Meat Inspection Act-that marked the beginning of determined federal efforts to assure Americans a safe food and drug supply. Yet this beginning came only after a long and hard struggle, and achieved fruition only through the combined efforts of the medical profession, industry, government, and consumers. The origins of the struggle can be traced back to 1820 with the development of the U.S. Pharmacopoeia, an authoritative book that lists all recognized drugs and prescribes the manner of production and the recommended dosage. Prior to this time, the medical profession had to rely on the differing European drug standards. This unwelcomed diversity led to the recognition of the need to create a uniform national standard. Therefore, in 1820, the medical profession established the U.S. Pharmacopoeia. Moreover, to supply skilled practitioners capable of meeting these new drug standards, a college of pharmacy was founded in Philadelphia that same year. Yet the creation of drug standards and trained pharmacists could not alleviate the growing problem caused by the influx of substandard drugs from Europe. Faced with strict government regulation of drug quality at home, European drug manufacturers saw the United States, without any drug laws, as the ideal dump- ing ground for their adulterated products. Unable to prescribe these European drugs with any assurance since the drug's potency varied within each batch, the medical community turned to Congress for help. Through the efforts of Ohio Congressman T. 0. Edwards, himself a physician, Congress took its first step into the area of drug regulation by enacting the Import Drugs Act of 1848. This statute prohibited the importation and required the destruction of any imported drug that did not meet U.S. Pharmacopoeia standards. At first, the statute was strictly enforced; but since this enactment lacked continued public support, government appropriations dwindled until the proscription became a sham. It would take many years before Congress would again act in the area of drug regu- lation. Meanwhile, the country was undergoing a drastic social revolution. As a result of the Civil War, the United States had changed from an agrarian to an industrial society. Urban manufacturing centers grew as the railroads made it possible to transport large quantities of food. The corporation, rather than the family farm, became the principal building block of the economic structure. 5 0015-6361/82/010005-05$02.00/0 Copyright © 1982 by Academic Press, Inc. All rights of reproduction in any form reserved.

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