In 1955, Oveta Culp Hobby, the first Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) appointed a committee of 14 citizens to study the adequacy of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA)  facilities and programs.

The committee recommended a substantial expansion of FDA staff and facilities, a new headquarters building, and more use of educational and informational programs.

This committee’s work was a significant part of Hobby’s efforts to oversee the nationwide distribution of the polio vaccine, a monumental task that faced challenges like public skepticism and the pressure to ensure a successful rollout.