Joseph Michael Mercola (/mərˈkoʊlə/;[1] born July 8, 1954) is an American alternative medicine proponent, osteopathic physician, and Internet business person. He markets dietary supplements and medical devices,[2] some of which are controversial. Until 2013,[3] Mercola operated the "Dr. Mercola Natural Health Center" (formerly the "Optimal Wellness Center") in Schaumburg, Illinois.[4] He wrote the books The No-Grain Diet[5] (with Alison Rose Levy) and The Great Bird Flu Hoax. On his website, Mercola and colleagues advocate a number of unproven alternative health notions including homeopathy and opposition to vaccination. These positions have faced persistent criticism.[6] Mercola is a member of the political advocacy group Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, which promotes scientifically discredited views about medicine and disease, and several other alternative medicine organizations.[7]