Why is it important for drugs to be assessed by the FDA before release?

The importance of assessing drugs by the FDA before their release lies primarily in the responsibility to ensure safety and efficacy for public use. The FDA conducts rigorous evaluations of new medications through clinical trials to determine their safety profiles, potential side effects, and effectiveness for their intended uses. This thorough assessment helps to minimize the risks associated with drug use in the general population and ensures that only those medications that have proven to be beneficial, with manageable risks, are approved for distribution.

Moreover, this process helps build public confidence in the healthcare system, as consumers can trust that the medications they receive have undergone meticulous scrutiny and meet established safety standards. Without this evaluation, medications could be released that might cause significant harm, lead to ineffective treatments, or even result in public health crises. Therefore, the FDA's role is crucial in safeguarding public health through these pre-market assessments.