Every day we make assumptions as consumers. We assume food labels list accurate ingredients. I’m allergic to guaifenesin, so I assume that if that’s listed on a cold medicine label, I should steer clear but if not then it’s safe for me to take.

We make these assumptions because a federal agency in Washington, the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, tells us we can. It’s their job to pre-clear drugs before they hit the shelves and to continue to monitor usage for any problems that we as consumers need to know about. We trust them to not put a drug on the market if it’s not safe and effective. And we trust them to pull a drug off the market if they learn new information that suggests it’s dangerous for consumers.