[ad_1]
The document specifically tracked funding for five treatments: homeopathy or naturopathy for cancer; hyperbaric oxygen therapy, called HBOT, for the treatment of brain lesions; stem cell therapy for brain damage and spinal cord injury; and long-term antibiotic therapy for chronic Lyme disease.
"Unfortunately, I think that part of the reason we see so much money here is that people want to help, but we operate in some kind of culture where people do not listen to this that the experts tell them, "he said. . "It's one of those sad effects, I think, of anti-science."
"GoFundMe campaigns are organized by individuals, for a specific need, whether for a personal or charitable cause.Each campaign is unique and therefore we can not comment on specific elements related to campaigns without knowing their accuracy this document refers to, "said a GoFundMe statement sent to CNN by email in response to the new JAMA document.
Follow-up of five treatments, and which raised the most
For this new article, the researchers looked for crowdfunding medical campaigns on four sites – GoFundMe, YouCaring, CrowdRise and FundRazr – and they specifically looked for campaigns related to the five treatments.
The researchers identified treatment-related campaigns posted in the United States and Canada between November 2015 and the date of their analysis, which was conducted last year between November 14 and December 11. All campaigns were seeking treatment.
In total, the campaigns sought to raise $ 27,249,487.99 and resulted in a total of $ 6,779,700.00 – or 24.9% of what was sought – at the end of the data collection, have discovered the researchers. The newspaper and the researchers did not reveal specific information about individual activists, such as their names, where they lived or where they lived. Other details.
Among these campaigns, the researchers found that the 474 fundraising campaigns for homeopathic or naturopathic cancer treatments generated the most money.
Researchers also found that stem cell therapies for brain and spinal cord injuries generated 188 and 93 campaigns respectively, generating more than $ 1 million for brain damage and $ 590,446 for lesions in the brain. spinal cord.
The 190 campaigns looking for funds to access the OTH against brain injury collected $ 785,421.92 and the 114 campaigns looking for long-term antibiotic treatment against Chronic Lyme Disease raised $ 689,363.67, the researchers said.
The researchers also identified nine named practitioners and eight countries that activists intended to visit for therapies and treatments. These included clinics in Germany and Mexico for homeopathic or naturopathic cancer treatments, a clinic in New Orleans offering OTHB for brain injury, and various clinics in the United States, Panama, Thailand. , India, China and Mexico.
The study has some limitations, including the fact that only five treatments were examined on four platforms; further research is needed to determine if similar results could emerge for other treatments on other platforms.
"More important research could be done," said Caplan.
In addition, despite the intention of each campaign, the data in the document did not indicate whether the activists were actually using the necessary funds. the specified treatments, or what happened if the campaign raised more funds than requested.
Overall, Caplan said that crowdfunding platforms could require more users who seek medical treatments to publish more information about themselves and about the use of funds raised, such as the plan to use if the funds can not be used and the outcome of the treatment. after the funds are used.
"I think it would be useful to have a crowdfunding requirement that says if you crowdsourcez here, we'll tell you the result of what happened – that you should fill it in at the late, that you have a responsibility, has given you money to tell them what happened, "Caplan said.
GoFundMe said in its statement: "We always encourage people to do extensive research on everything for which they raise funds and to be more transparent on their GoFundMe page, so that donors can make an informed decision. as regards their donations. "
"Their money can be wasted"
This document identified 408 campaigns on GoFundMe and YouCaring last year, which had received more than $ 1.4 million in donations for unproven stem cell-based interventions.
The latest JAMA document "provides a little more information on the diversity of existing campaigns," said Turner, who was not involved in the new document.
He added that he hoped the researchers "better explain why they focused on the five categories analyzed rather than on crowdfunding campaigns for unproven interventions designed to address dozens of other conditions. Otherwise, it's an interesting and significant addition to the growing number of health-related crowdfunding scholarship. "
Yet Turner cautioned against criticizing patients who might use crowdfunding to respond to a desperate need for medical care.
"I think of the United States as a country where many people do not have adequate access to health care.They do not have adequate health insurance. in a way, these huge structural problems in terms of access to health care – and crowdfunding sites are becoming the vehicle that some people use to try to get medically necessary care, "he said. "We can oppose the injustices of the US health care system, but that does not mean we want to condemn individual campaigns for people who are essentially looking for interventions that can help them."
"The public must know that their money can be wasted for ineffective treatments or even used for dangerous interventions that may be harmful to the health of those they seek to help.If their goal is to help others, there is a whole range of charities that help people with medical needs very effectively, "he said. "Crowdfunding platforms must also be careful not to be used for these purposes."
Source link
