The People's Perspective on Medicine

About The People’s Pharmacy

For more than four decades, Joe and Terry Graedon have been teaching, writing, and broadcasting information to help people make informed decisions about their health.

This website provides insights not found anywhere else about the pros and cons of prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Visitors share stories about side effects, interactions, and generic drug complications that often haven’t yet reached the FDA.

You will discover details on home remedies, too: foods, herbs, and supplements that can ease the symptoms of common ailments. The People’s Pharmacy community of readers also reports valuable experiences about affordable alternative treatments that might help solve a problem without a prescription.

Our mission

Empowering you to make wise decisions about your own health, by providing you with essential health information about both medical and alternative treatment options.

Who are the Graedons?

Joe Graedon at a microphone recording The People's Pharmacy radio show

Joe Graedon

Master of Science degree in pharmacology from the University of Michigan, 1971
Syndicated newspaper columnist, King Features Syndicate since 1978
Co-host of The People’s Pharmacy public radio program since 1981
Adjunct assistant professor, Division of Practice Advancement and Clinical Education, University of North Carolina (UNC) Eshelman School of Pharmacy at Chapel Hill since 1986
Founding member of the Society for Participatory Medicine
Co-editor of the Journal of Participatory Medicine
Founding member of Patient Advocacy Council and member of the Patient Safety and Clinical Quality Committee of the Duke University Health System from 2003 to 2011
Doctor of Humane Letters Honoris Causa from Long Island University in 2006 as “one of the country’s leading drug experts for the consumer”
Fellow in Pharmaceutical Sciences of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for “exceptional contribution to the communication of the rational use of pharmaceutical products and an understanding of health issues to the public” in 2005
Member of the Board of Visitors at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy at Chapel Hill since 1989

Terry Graedon

PhD in Anthropology from the University of Michigan, 1976
Syndicated newspaper columnist, King Features Syndicate since 1980
Postdoctoral fellow in Medical Anthropology, University of California, San Francisco, 1982-1983
Co-host of The People’s Pharmacy public radio program since 1984
Assistant professor, Duke University School of Nursing and adjunct assistant professor, Department of Anthropology, 1975-1979
Lecturer, medical anthropology, Duke University Department of Anthropology, 1987-1989
Fellow of the Society for Applied Anthropology, 2010
Founding member of the Society for Participatory Medicine
Co-editor of the Journal of Participatory Medicine
Founding member of Patient Advocacy Council and member of the Patient Safety and Clinical Quality Committee of the Duke University Health System from 2003 to 2010

Core Values and Beliefs

We respect people’s ability to make informed decisions about their health

We communicate and act with honesty and integrity

We strive to provide information in a clear, understandable, friendly and compelling manner

We are dedicated to a vision of the world in which individuals and institutions are committed to serving people fairly and with compassion and in which people learn from and support each other

Awards & Affiliations:

2013 Bachrach Lecture for the American Association of Orthopedic Medicine
Members of the North Carolina Consortium of Natural Medicine and Public Health
2003 Alvarez Award from American Medical Writers Association for “Excellence in Medical Communications”
Editorial advisors, Prevention magazine
Advisory Board Member of the American Botanical Council (Herbalgram)
Health Headliner of 1998 Award from America Talks Health for “superior contribution to the advancement of medicine and public health education”
Silver Award from The Corporation for Public Broadcasting for producing and hosting The People’s Pharmacy radio show on WUNC-FM in the Public Affairs Category, 1992
Consultant to the Federal Trade Commission on Non-Prescription Drug Advertising and Rule Making: 1978-1983
Medical Self-Care Award for excellence in writing and publishing in the area of medical self-care; the editors of Self-Care Magazine: 1976

Special Thanks

Will & Deni Media, Inc.

We would like to say a big “thank you!” for our great “Welcome to the People’s Pharmacy” video on our home page to long-time friends and exceptional photographers and videographers Will & Deni Media, Inc.

LoudNoises, LLC

Thank you to LoudNoises, a design & dev shop with a singular focus on delivering accelerated business growth. Their team is responsible for the tailor-made branding and development of this website.

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