What is the main purpose of the FD&C Act’s adulteration and misbranding provisions?

• A. To ensure product safety, quality, and truthful labeling/claims.
• B. To promote industry profits and faster approvals.
• C. To regulate advertising of dietary supplements.
• D. To require digital recordkeeping for all products.

Answer: (A)

Public health protection drives the adulteration and misbranding provisions of the FD&C Act. Adulteration targets safety and quality—anything that makes a product unsafe or of inferior quality, such as contaminated ingredients, unsanitary processing, or deviations from approved formulations. Misbranding focuses on the labeling and claims—if a product’s labeling is false, misleading, or omits required information, it is considered misbranded. Together, these provisions ensure that products on the market are safe and that consumers receive accurate, truthful information to make informed choices. While other options touch on profits, advertising of supplements, or recordkeeping, they don’t capture the core aim of these provisions.