>About Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Public Health

Introduction

To administer food and drugs in a comprehensive and strategic manner in the safety of Tokyo citizens, the Bureau of Public Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, established the Food and Drug Administration for integrated food and drug crisis management (Tokyo FDA) in April 2002 with the following objectives: 1) The installation of post-event and pre-event safety measures ; 2) the introduction of a new safety assurance framework based on business managers’ responsibilities; 3) the establishment of an environment in which Tokyo citizens can consider their course of action; 4) the development of safety administration that is unified despite one’s position.

In addition, the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Public Health was newly established in April 2003 through the integration of the Research Laboratory of Public Health, the Food Guidance Center, six branch laboratories in the Tama area of the Wholesale Market Sanitation Inspection Station, the Pharmaceutical Safety Control and Guidance Office, and the Medicinal Plant Garden. The purpose was to unify monitoring and testing of foods and drugs, and to build a system that would comprehensively cover preceding research works, monitoring, testing, controlling, and communicating.

Currently, the Institute performs examination services, research works, training and quality assurance, and the collection, analysis, and submission of public health information. These services have been implemented as an examination and research organization for supporting public health administration scientifically and technical, in the order of the Ministry of Health and Welfare in establishing Regional Research Laboratories. We also conduct monitoring and supervision of foods and drugs that have been the responsibility of the Food Guidance Center and Pharmaceutical Safety Control and Guidance Offices. The Institute is thus actively ensuring the health and safety of Tokyo citizens in a wide range of disciplines, such as foods and drugs, infectious diseases, environmental sanitation, and evaluation of effects on human body, based on close collaboration between the administrative departments of the Health Bureau and the examination and research departments.