[squidfish]

I take issue with this claim regarding CPAPs/APAPs There are many doctors who support making CPAP machines purchasable without prescriptions. The story line that they need to remain prescriptions only is, not surprisingly, funding/pushed by sleep clinics and the machine industry players because ... you guessed it ... profit.

I started using an APAP (Resmed10 autoset) about 2 years ago. My sleep study (overnight onsight at clinic) said I needed CPAP for sure and they slapped one on me in the middle of the night to "titrate" it just right for me. After got my machine, they were useless to adjust it. I did bare amount of research and found everything I needed to really adjust settings to work for me over couple months. I don't even take 30 minute nap without it now. Godsend.

I've also snagged the same model machine off ebay with only 30 hours on it (VERY hard to come by because the machine manufacturers are diligent and aggressive in getting them off resale market because of their status as prescribed medical equipment). Anyway, put my brother on said ebay machine, spent week or so of monitoring results and titrating his settings and he has been happy camper since. He had worse apnea than me, but alas no medical coverage at that time.

Of course, ventilators are in different class. That said, keeping CPAPs as prescription only medical devices is a scam and many lives could be extended and saved if could buy without script.