Welcome To
The Free Clinic Cooperative

On June 7, 1967, David E. Smith, MD, opened the Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic in San Francisco, the first of its kind in the United States and the catalyst for a free clinic movement that swelled worldwide. Dr.Dave believes health care is a right, not a privilege, and that it should be free for all who need it. The issue of free or affordable health care for all Americans continues to be a major topic in the social and political landscape of this country.

The word "free" meant much more to Dr.Dave than "no charge" and introduced a radical health-care philosophy emphasizing medical treatment free from red tape, free from value judgements, free from eligibility requirements, and free from emotional hassels, frozen medical, protocol, moralizing, and mystification. The clinic opened as a response to the medical needs of 100,000 young people who descended on San Francisco for the Summer of Love. On that day in June, Dave wasn't sure the clinic would last the month, let alone the summer.

Dr.David Smith - 1967

Dr.David Smith - 1970's

Dr.David Smith - 2007

Hundreds of thousands of patients later, the Free Clinic movement marks its 40th anniversary in June, 2007. To commemorate this history, The Free Clinic Cooperative is organizing a music and memory filled benefit called "Rock & Recovery"on June 27, 2007 at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco.

See the video of David Smith reflecting on the 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love