Which act was the first to require pharmaceutical manufacturers to prove the safety of prescription drugs before marketing?

The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938 was significant because it marked a pivotal change in drug regulation by mandating that pharmaceutical manufacturers provide evidence of the safety of prescription drugs before they could be marketed. This act was introduced in response to public health concerns, particularly following incidents where unsafe drugs had caused serious harm or death. Before this legislation, there were minimal requirements for proving a drug's safety, leading to widespread issues with misbranded and adulterated products.

This act established the foundation for modern drug regulation by requiring that all new drugs be proven safe for use through adequate testing before they could be sold to consumers. This key requirement laid the groundwork for future regulatory measures and reinforced the necessity of ensuring drug safety, which has become a vital part of public health policy.

The other acts mentioned, while significant in their own rights, did not focus primarily on the requirement for safety testing of prescription drugs prior to marketing. The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 aimed to prevent the sale of misbranded or adulterated foods and drugs but did not require proof of safety. The Harrison Narcotics Tax Act of 1914 primarily regulated the manufacture and distribution of narcotics. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 further categorized drugs