Final answer:
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has the authority over controlled substances and requires physician registration for handling them, while the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ensures the safety and efficacy of medicines. The DEA enforces the Controlled Substances Act and manages the legal control of these substances.
Step-by-step explanation:
The agency that has authority over controlled substances, and requires physician registration to handle, dispense, and prescribe them is the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which is different from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While the FDA is responsible for regulating prescription drug advertising and promotion, as well as ensuring the safety and efficacy of medicines that pharmacies sell in the United States, the DEA oversees the enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act. This means that physicians and other healthcare providers need to register with the DEA to legally prescribe, dispense, or manage controlled substances.
The FDA's role includes the enforcement of various laws with the aim to protect public health, focusing on the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. However, it's the DEA that directly manages the legal aspects of controlled substances, and without DEA registration, a provider cannot prescribe medications that fall under this category. It's important to understand the distinction between the FDA's role in drug safety and regulation and the DEA's role in controlling substance distribution.