Is it a role of government to offer consumer protections? Or should each person just make their own decisions?

Without such agencies, people would die more often than should:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or USFDA) is a Government agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and is responsible for regulating and supervising the safety of foods, tobacco products, dietary supplements, Medication drugs, vaccines, Biopharmaceutical, blood transfusion, medical devices, Electromagnetic radiation emitting devices, veterinary products, and cosmetics. The FDA also enforces section 361 of the Public Health Service Act and the associated regulations, including sanitation requirements on interstate travel as well as specific rules for control of disease on products ranging from pet turtles to semen donations for assisted reproductive medicine techniques.

The real issue is should- regualtions be written by congress or law suites.

As we see from stupid warning lables suites do have an empact on product safty. Possibly just as great if not more than regualtions written by government agencies. Regualtion via law suit will result in safe products- after all do you realy think the feds mandate the "Remove before diriving " or don't stop blades with your hand warning lables?

Companies put those there becuse of law suites.

yes, unless it is morally wrong to let a fool an idiot or someone mentally challenged to keep their money.