Your comment has not merely crossed the line into "I-know-better"-land, it is days into that territory, is lost without a map, is desperately looking for water and shelter, but is still having terrible trouble admitting to itself that it might have made a horrible mistake.

> Let's say, for example, that you, as a patient, have been reading the literature on inflammatory systems and have become convinced that

Uh-oh.

> PhD has a very convincing scientific case

That is the point where your physician had to stifle a giggle, I'm afraid.

> Why should you, as the patient, have to get the approval of a physician to go through with it

You don't. If you can perform the procedure on yourself, it's perfectly legal.