You know I am no major fan of the conventional medical paradigm that kills millions of people every year. Many of these mistakes should, and are, being punished through the legal system, with the logjam of Vioxx lawsuits in the American court system serving as a classic example of justice being served.

However, a major problem with our current medical system is the horrendous legal system we have, especially in America. If you weren't aware of it, the primary basis for lawsuits is the contingency system that allows virtually anyone to contact an attorney to sue a physician, and the plaintiff doesn't have to pay a penny. All a plaintiff has to do is split their winnings with the attorney.

As this USA Today article points out, the current system permits major abuses of legal remedies that lead to doctors practicing medicine only to protect themselves, not the patient. This dramatically raises the cost of health care across the board and reduces access to critical medical services.

For example, many specialists working in Florida are paying ANNUAL malpractice fees in excess of $300,000. The situation is so bad in Illinois, there are no neurosurgeons in the southern half of the state. They have all left because their malpractice premiums are so high, many of them lose money just by keeping their doors open.

This is just not fair, either to doctors or to victims of motor vehicle accidents who may need the rapid attention of a neurosurgeon to save their lives. Believe me, all of us are paying the price of this ridiculous system.