I agree with you! Here's some data about how the supply of doctors is constrained by law:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_otfwl2zc6Qc/S8p3XotZRpI/AAAAAAAANQ...

(from http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2010/04/medical-school-grads-hav...)

For the last 30 years, 16,000 new doctors are let through each year, and this is very carefully regulated to keep guild members rich. There's nothing wrong with that, but the problem is that the government is used as a tool to maintain this monopoly. (Unfortunately, it's been this way since the Middle Ages.) Does it have to be this way? Not if you decide that people should be free to choose for themselves which expert they should seek medical help from, and what qualifications they require. If you own your own body (and I say you do), this is your right to decide.

On top of that, new drugs cost somewhere around $1 billion to take to market. When only 300 people in the country have a rare condition, the FDA makes it so that nothing can be done for them because there is no way to recoup a billion dollars from any small group of people.

  For the last 30 years, 16,000 new doctors are let through each year, 
  and this is very carefully regulated to keep guild members 
  rich. There's nothing wrong with that, but the problem is 
  that the government is used as a tool to maintain this 
  monopoly. 

Sure, it's also wrong if government is going against the public interest in restricting the number of doctors. But whether someone should be able to claim that they are a certified medical doctor is something I want government to regulate, at least for now. AFAIK, these regulations were put in place in response to quackery (and the like).

I have a friend with Crohn's disease who read all of the research on hookworm, found a company that would ship it to Canada, went to Canada, and got himself infected. Several months later he has managed to discontinue most of the drugs and he is feeling better than he has in years.

Unfortunately hookworm has been classified as a medication in the USA, and is unpatentable, so will never be approved as a treatment here. But if you're willing to travel abroad, look into it. Seriously.

Here's an article on the same guy, Jasper Lawrence: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/07/22/are-h...

You should research Urgent Care centers through your health plan and have their address in your phone. That way, you can get the care you need in a timely manner.

I am so glad we have such good doctors, pharmacists, etc in California at least... they def are trying their best. It all just depends on the condition. If God forbid you get seriously ill, then you will get all the appointments you need. Yes there is usually some wait, but its not THAT bad.

http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.answers.php?question...