Heal Thyself: Over-The-Counter Drugs and Alternative Medicines

Part I: With the explosion of over-the-counter drugs, consumers can treat dozens of illnesses that once required trips to the doctor. Dr. Graham Patrick, professor of pharmacology at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Medical College of Virginia, discusses the pros and cons of self-medication.

Part II: From acupuncture to crystals, an increasing number of Americans are turning to alternative therapies to treat physical ills. Radford historian J. Stuart Moore and University of Virginia nursing professor Anne Gil Taylor discuss the history of alternative medicines in America and the reasons they are thriving today.