Recent events as diverse as America’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the opioid crisis, the anti-vaccine movement, the debate over the legalization and regulation of marijuana and other personal use drugs, struggles over drug prices and accessibility, among others, all have roots in the history of pharmacy, pharmaceuticals, drugs, medicines, and healthcare. The wide-ranging public debates about these topics vividly demonstrate the vital importance of grounding contemporary public health discussions in a clear understanding of their relevant histories -- and in evidence.

In light of contemporary court cases about the legal and ethical responsibility of pharmaceutical companies and pharmacy chains to protect patients and consumers from psychoactive and intoxicating substances, this Kreminar highlights the internal debates between pharmacists about their need to balance profits with public health concerns related to so-called "dangerous drugs" and "magic bullets.”

Geothermal baths and healing springs have a millenia-spanning history of medical tourism, from the ancient Roman baths to the spas of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, considered to be the golden age of the so-called “water cure”.

In the early 20th Century, the UW-Madison School of Pharmacy had a small contingent of Chinese students who worked on traditional Chinese medicine, researching the plants that had been used for thousands of years.

The American Institute of the History of Pharmacy is excited to announce that we have partnered with UW Cinematheque and the Urdang Lab to support a screening of the classic 1967 pharmaceutical cautionary tale VALLEY OF THE DOLLS on July 12th at 7pm at Vilas Hall.

Join the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy Archivist and the American Institute of the History of Pharmacy to explore the world of midcentury pharmaceuticals, from Miltown to amphetamine-based weight loss pills, using materials from the archive

Come and explore the fascinating world of plants (and fungi!), as the foundations of medicines and pharmaceuticals on this drop-in, self-guided garden tour

Speaker: Dr. Erika Dyck of the University of University of Saskatchewan. As psychedelic substances enjoy a resurgence in clinical and popular discussions, we recognize their diverse histories and trajectories. In this presentation Dr. Duck will examine some of the different histories that have surfaced over time, drawing attention to some of the new voices emerging in this space.