FDA Logo PNG
Accounting, control, and orderly business reflect the FDA logo. The organization provides rigorous testing of medicines and vaccines and develops rules that guarantee the safety of citizens. The emblem shows without checking in the administration, the doors to the US market are closed.
FDA: Brand overview
| Founded: | June 30, 1906 |
| Founder: | Department of Health and Human Services |
| Headquarters: | Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S. |
| Website: | fda.gov |
Meaning and History
The FDA was formed in 1906 as the Bureau of Chemistry. The organization was renamed the Food and Drug Administration in 1931 to reflect the broad scope of its activities. The agency’s structure includes many divisions in terms of their missions. For example, CDRH employees oversee the safety of devices that emit radiation, and CFSAN representatives oversee food quality.
All medical product manufacturers must be registered with the FDA in the US. This requirement includes an annual inspection to ensure the company has proper manufacturing conditions. Materials and devices undergo mandatory testing to gain approval.
The agency’s branching structure was used to prevent it from unifying its communication materials, so the FDA did not have a streamlined identity. Without a unified visual identity, there was confusion about the logos of the different divisions. As a result, they lost the semantic connection between them: they were not perceived as part of the same system.
In 2016, the organization underwent a global rebranding to standardize its design and use a recognizable visual identity to unify all the centers and offices that comprise the streamlined FDA structure.
Old logo
The exact time of the early Food and Drug Administration logo is uncertain. It is only known that it was created after 1931 because it reflects the modern name of the organization, adopted by the Bureau of Chemistry 25 years after its founding. The graphic symbol contained the abbreviation “FDA” written in bold type. The first letter rose above the others and covered them with long horizontal strokes. In this way, the designers expressed the agency’s key mission of providing protection.
Under the abbreviation was the phrase “CONSUMER PROTECTION,” describing the FDA’s primary mission. A thin, sans-serif typeface was used for it. The text was placed in a dark gray rectangle.
Before 2016
Food and Drug Administration adhered to a monogrammed logo in the middle of its activities. It contained the connected letters “F,” “D,” and “A,” which consisted of triple lines. Each mark’s base was a thin white middle, encircled on both sides by bold black stripes. The “D” and “A” had merging side outlines, while the “F” and “D” were fully merged to form one solid figure of abstract shape.
2016 – today
The logo was designed in 2016 and has two parts: a monogram and a wordmark. And the lettering is always on the right side of the figure. The abbreviation “FDA” occupies the upper half of the blue vertical rectangle. This element was created using a 6/5 modular grid to achieve geometric harmony and size changes without breaking proportions.
The text contains the full name of the organization: “U. S. FOOD & DRUG ADMINISTRATION” in upper case. All words except the last are written in bold letters in the first line. “ADMINISTRATION” occupies the second row and consists of thin, noncontrasting letters without serifs.
Sometimes, the icon with the abbreviation can be used separately from the inscription. It is stylized as a cell of the Mendeleev table, as it inspired the new design. According to the modern concept, the agency identifies itself with an element of the periodic table because its influence extends to many products in all areas of people’s lives. The FDA’s visual identity is based on the “blocks” of the table.
The same logo can be combined with the names of different departments to unify the organization’s structure. This is something the Food and Drug Administration lacked before 2016. The universal graphic system has saved on producing communication materials because they no longer need to be created from scratch.
FDA: Interesting Facts
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is essential for ensuring public health in the United States by overseeing the safety of food, medicine, and more.
- How It Started: The agency traces its roots to the 1906 Pure Food and Drugs Act, which prohibited tampering with food and medicine. Officially named the FDA in 1930, this legislation marked the beginning of its regulatory role.
- Early Experiments: Dr. Harvey W. Wiley, known as the “Father of the FDA,” and his “Poison Squad,” conducted tests to expose the dangers of food additives. Their work was crucial in convincing the public that food and drug oversight was necessary.
- Expanding Authority in 1938: Following a deadly drug incident in 1937, the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act required that new medications be proven safe before being sold.
- Stricter Drug Rules: The 1962 Kefauver-Harris Amendments, introduced after a medication caused birth defects in Europe, mandated that drugs demonstrate safety and effectiveness before approval.
- Overseeing Medical Devices: Since 1976, the agency has regulated medical tools, from basic instruments to complex technologies like pacemakers.
- Vaccine Regulation: Even before the administration was officially named, the 1902 Biologics Control Act gave it the authority to oversee vaccine safety following a vaccine-related incident.
- Supporting New Treatments: Special programs have been established to accelerate drug approvals for severe conditions and encourage the development of treatments for rare diseases.
- Worldwide Influence: The agency’s standards are followed by many countries, shaping global health policies, food safety protocols, and medical product development.
- Emergency Responses: During crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid authorization of medical treatments and vaccines has been critical.
- Nutritional Information: A 1990 law mandated that most food products include nutritional labels, providing essential dietary information to consumers.
- Tobacco Control: Since 2009, regulations have extended to tobacco products, marking an important milestone in public health initiatives.
- Adapting to Technology: The agency continues to evolve with advancements in health technology, setting guidelines for mobile health apps and telehealth services demonstrating its commitment to modern healthcare quality.
Font and Colors
According to the style guide, the agency’s primary font is Din FF, a non-contrast grotesque with several lettering options. There are two versions of the FDA logo: bold (for “U. S. FOOD & DRUG”) and thin (for “ADMINISTRATION”). All letters are necessarily in upper case.
As for the color scheme, a combination of FDA White (#FFF) and FDA Blue (#007CBA) is preferred. The monogram is colored white, and the rectangle and the organization’s name are colored blue. On a black background, the colors swap places. If the surroundings are white, the lettering and rectangle can be black (#2E2925), and the abbreviation is then a proprietary shade of blue.
