After 120 years, the Food and Drug Administration finally has an official seal.

FDA’s Commissioner Marty Makary, MD, MPH, revealed the agency’s new visual signifier in a press release on January 28th, noting that the aim of the design is to “help the public better understand who we are and the many functions we fulfull.”

The FDA was established in 1906 under the Pure Food and Drug Act, at a time when there were no national safety, quality, or purity standards for the industrial production of foods, beverages, drugs, or cosmetics. Over the last century, the FDA has grown into one of the world’s largest regulatory agencies.

Along the way, the Administration has weathered vehement criticism from those who believe it is too stringent and narrow-minded, as well as from others who argue that it is too loose and too uneven in its regulation of Big Food and Big Pharma.

Makary, formerly a laparascopic surgeon at Johns Hopkins prior to stepping into the role of FDA commissioner last March, contends that many ordinary Americans don’t really understand what the FDA does or why it exists. In this, the agency’s 120th anniversary year, he and his staff hope to tell the agency’s story. The new seal–which will augment but not replace the longstanding block-letter logo–is the first step toward achieving that goal.

In addition to spotlighting the FDA’s mission statement–Ad Salutem Publican Tuendam (“Protecting the public health” in Latin)–the logo contains a number of symbolic elements which, according to Makary’s office, visually tell the agency’s history and vision:

Circular Border: The seal’s circular border is comprised of 120 golden triangles representing 120 years of the FDA’s service to the American people. Notably, the same motif is found on the border of the HHS seal, providing a visual link to the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA.

White Shield: The white shield symbolizes the FDA’s role in civil and criminal enforcement of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, a mission that, according to its website, the agency carrys out “with transparency and virtue.”

Staff of Aesculapius, the Greek god of medicine: Owing to a snake’s ability to shed its skin and rejuvenate, the ancient Greeks considered the it to be a symbol of healing. Above the staff is a finial in the form of a small globe, signifying FDA’s global reach and its international locations .

The Bald Eagle: A familiar American symbol, this rendition of the Bald Eagle has its wings outspread to signify the FDA’s broad and far-reaching mission to protect public health and regulate the safety and quality of a vast range of foods, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices.

Open book: The textbook (thankfully not a computer screen!) at the base of the Asculapian staff signifies learning, knowledge, and the pursuit of science, according to the FDA release. It also represents the laws (on the books!) that the FDA is committed to enforcing, especially the 1906 Act which the agency’s founding mandate. “The book’s binding is red to convey the power and authority of the FDA, the oldest comprehensive consumer protection agency in the US federal government,” the press release explains.

Double-helix DNA: Flanking the shield to its left is a representation of the DNA double-helix, which signifies the FDA’s “commitment to gold-standard science”–a buzz-phrase now widely used by all agencies under RFK Jr’s HHS–and technological advance.

Sheaves of Grain: On the other side of the badge, mirroring the DNA helix are curved stalks of wheat, which the FDA’s release says is meant to represent the nation’s food supply and the FDA’s responsibility to enforce food safety standards. It’s an interesting symbolic choice, given the ongoing controversies surrounding the role of grain-based foods in human health and illness.

Eight Stars: Surrounding the Staff of Aesculapius is a ring of eight stars, with each representing an industrial sector regulated by the FDA: food, drugs, medical devices, radiation-emitting products, vaccines/blood/biologics, animal and veterinary products, cosmetics, and tobacco.

“Today, FDA employees work to prevent and respond to public health crises and emergencies, for example when a foodborne illness strikes or a hurricane decimates local drug supplies. They inspect foreign drug facilities to ensure the safety of generic medicines. They analyze suspicious food and drug samples to determine the presence of unsafe contaminants. They track down drug-peddling criminals who prey on desperate patients,” states the FDA’s public affairs office.

“They also help bring life-changing therapies to market. They advocate for children and infants, and for patients with hard-to-tackle rare diseases. They strive daily for patient safety—and patient access to meaningful treatments. All of these critical services and more can be found within the FDA’s seal.”

As is the case with the FDA’s existing block-letter logo, there are strict prohibitions on use of the new seal. It cannot be used by companies, trade groups, media companies, or influencers for commercial or promotional purposes.

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