Medical Crowdfunding Via Social Media for Paediatric Patients – Where Do We Draw the Line?

Medical crowdfunding may provide means to fund treatments or interventions; however, it raises individual and societal ethical dilemma due to its complex understanding and interpretation. Crowdfunding can be viewed as a phenomenon at the intersection between the disciplines of finance, entrepreneurship, marketing, e-commerce, social networking and medicine. Most of these campaigns get initiated on behalf of the patients, especially the very sick and dependent ones, to garner financial support. The success of these efforts will depend on campaigners’ digital skills, ability to penetrate wider social networks and strong emotional connectedness to the issue raised. This article will explore the role of medical crowdfunding in pediatric healthcare settings, examining its benefits, challenges, and ethical implications. There is however a paucity of literature on medical crowdfunding among paediatric population despite numerous anecdotal campaigns in the social media platform.