What does the FDA primarily protect the public against?

The FDA, or the Food and Drug Administration, primarily focuses on ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of food products, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. Its central mission is to protect and promote public health by regulating these areas rigorously, which includes evaluating new drugs before they can be sold to the public and monitoring food safety to prevent contamination and outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. This means that the FDA is specifically tasked with addressing hazards that arise from food, drugs, and medical devices, which is a core aspect of its role in public health.

While the other options address important health and safety concerns, they fall outside the primary scope of the FDA's regulatory responsibilities. Environmental hazards are typically managed by agencies focused on environmental protection, workplace-related injuries are overseen by organizations focused on occupational safety, and infectious diseases are often handled by public health agencies, such as the CDC, rather than the FDA. This distinction emphasizes the specific role of the FDA in safeguarding consumers against issues related to food, drugs, and medical devices.