The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the ______.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This department is responsible for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. The FDA plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety and efficacy of food, drugs, and cosmetics, as well as overseeing various health-related research and policy initiatives. The alignment of the FDA with HHS allows it to work on broader public health missions, making this association vital for implementing health regulations and guidelines that affect the community’s well-being.

The other options, while related to health and nutrition, do not directly oversee or house the FDA. The National Institutes of Health focuses on medical research, Food and Nutrition Services operates under the Department of Agriculture and manages food assistance programs, and the Department of Agriculture oversees agricultural policies rather than health regulations, which is the primary function of the FDA. Thus, the association with the Department of Health and Human Services underscores the FDA's mission to safeguard public health through regulation and oversight of food and medications.