As more and more people continue to turn to crowdfunding for personal needs, professor of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University, Jeremy Snyder, cautions those who use the funding method for medical bills.
During a recent interview with CBC News, Snyder stated that rather than filling in the gaps of unpaid healthcare, crowdfunding medical expenses may make some people more vulnerable:
“It’s sort of marketing, selling behavior. It changes it from a situation in which we’re all in the same system to one in which we’re competing with one another for the same donors, and instead of focusing on need, it’s really who’s most sympathetic.”
He then noted that the amount of people using crowdfunding to met basic needs should alarm others and that not everyone benefits from crowdfunding and those with the best results are likely powerful in others, which is either through personal wealth or social networks:
“It’s a powerful tool for individuals. But we shouldn’t forget that that’s not going to be the case for everyone.”
Snyder added that he doesn’t suggest people giving up on crowdfunding entirely and to instead consider advocating for more systemic changes offline.
Snyder holds a BA in Philosophy from George Washington University and aPhD inPhilosophy at Georgetown. His research interests focus on our moral obligations toward vulnerable populations. He has teaching interests in public health ethics, particularly at the intersection between public health, global poverty, and resource inequality. It was noted that in the past he has taught on a range of topics in applied ethics, focusing on ethical obligations stemming from poverty, increased economic integration, and power asymmetries.