The FDA is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficiency and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation's food supply, cosmetics and products that emit radiation. The FDA is also responsible for advancing the public health by helping to speed innovations that make medicines and foods more effective, safer, and more affordable, and helping the public get the accurate, science-based information they need to use medicines and foods to improve their health.

FDA has many resources for small businesses and has instituted a number of activities aimed at easing the regulatory challenges for small business owners. First, each of FDA's five centers - Foods, Veterinary Medicine, Medical Devices, Drugs, and Biologics - contain special small business units designed to provide technical assistance to small companies, hold meetings to hear the views and perspectives of small businesses, conduct educational workshops, develop information materials, and provide an accessible, efficient channel through which small businesses can acquire information from the FDA.

• Small Business Guide to FDA:
  http://www.fda.gov/ora/fed_state/small_business/sb_guide/intro.html
• Drugs:
  http://www.fda.gov/CDER/about/smallbiz/
• Foods, Dietary Supplements, Cosmetics:
  http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/foodbiz.html
• Medical Devices:
  http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/dsma/dsmamain.html or
  http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/devadvice/11.html
• Biologics:
  http://www.fda.gov/CBER/sitemap.htm
• Animal Products:
  http://www.fda.gov/cvm/faqs/faqs.html

The Regional Small Business Representative, Marie Falcone (215-597-2120, ext. 4003), can answer questions for entrepreneurs, owners, operators, or employees of small businesses and provide assistance in obtaining copies of FDA laws, regulations and guidance documents.

To register your facility with the FDA or learn about new importing requirements, go to http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fsbtact.html.

W. Charles Becoat is the District Director for the FDA's Minneapolis District Office, which covers over 8,000 establishments in the four-state area of Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota. The office is presently staffed with 86 employees located in the District Office and nine Resident Posts, including Fargo, Pembina and Dunseith.