To think that this is ok.. gofundme for a wealthy family

[yhegadian]

My friends and I had lunch yesterday. We starting chatting about a family we know and live near. Seemingly wealthy, enjoy the trappings of wealth, one of best addresses in London. Summer house, private education for kids etc.
One of the kids has an opportunity to get a preventative course of medicine for the recurrence of a life limiting disease that can be effective but is not guaranteed. A trial.
It will cost £100's K.
I think. Gofundme is perfectly acceptable in view of their child's potential opportunity . Others in the group were shocked that they would consider this due to their apparent wealth, family wealth, salubrious homes , cars etc and felt other causes were more deserving considering their present financial situation will remain ie some felt they could take their other children from private school, trade down regarding their home, sell their summer home , downgrade cars. They won't be using capital from any of the above to fund treatment.
AIBU?

You have committed the fallacy of false equivalence.
We as a society agree that medical treatment should be funded by taxes. Thus, all taxpayers are entitled to publicly funded treatment, as determined by the NHS. In fact participation in clinical trials are free in the UK.
This isn't the same thing as individuals, funding another individual for a treatment not approved by medical professionals. In this case the individual seeking money is making their own case. The NHS isn't funding it for a good reason. Hint - it's not their (apparent) wealth.

Yes people can choose whether to contribute or not but as PP said they probably won't put their true status on the GFM. If they ask, saying they you 'need the funds for treatment', but don't. That's an outright lie. They'd like it, so they don't have to spend their own, But they don't 'need' it unlike someone who doesn't have the means.

No issues with full disclosure, or asking people who know them (and are happy to give anyway).

That's exactly that worthwhile trials in reality will be funded and made available for trials as there is money to be made

Any paid for trials are distinctly dodgy as most will want to get them out there eas there is money to be made.

The family is from the UK. Where is the clinical trial located?

I can't see anywhere in the post or comments where it is but it absolutely won't be in the UK as you don't pay to participate here.

I'm betting it's Mexico or suchlike.

Its disgusting entitled behaviour. Someone I know did it. Child free. Expensive house, two good incomes. 2 very expensive cars. Multiple holidays a year. Her dog needed a £700 vet treatment and she did a go fund me. Got it all and more.
She could literally have put it on a credit card. Same facebook page go fund me was being promoted on had them both partying at the golf club they are members of during that time. Its strange behaviour.

They can make a lot very fast! A family friend needed £120k for potential life saving treatment and they raised £70k in 2 weeks after going public just from our local town. Very sadly she only lived another couple of weeks after that but it’s amazing what can be achieved

Thanks! I thought I was missing where it was being offered.

Thanks, I am wondering where it could be. Would they have to pay for any clinical trial not in the UK?

What happened to all the money raised?

I believe it was paid forward to another family who were raising funds for treatment

That's an incredible amount in such a short space of time! I'm so sorry it didn't have a happy outcome for your friend though

@NotGoingToLie that story seems familiar. Huge amounts of money changed hands.

Not what I’d call “amazing”.

I don’t really see an issue with this. If people want to donate out of their own free will, what’s the problem? It would be different if someone is going without, for the sake of this person’s treatment, but that doesn’t seem to be the case

People coming together to help save the life of a stranger. I think that’s pretty amazing.

it’s not ‘amazing’ when it sounds like the parents could have cobbled together the money on their own and the money from ‘people’ could have gone to someone genuinely financially needy.

I think you have misunderstood my post. I was referring to the money raised for my family friend in just 2 weeks. I didn’t mention the OP at all.

Anybody can set one up. But only I decide if it's a deserving cause.

If someone could afford it by liquidating excess assets (if more than 2 cars, more than one home, high value assets e.g. watch (not sentimental or gift but owned) ) and they chose to ask me for my 'spare' money instead of selling their 'spare' house to improve their loved ones life I'd think less of them. If their loved one's health is so precious then liquidate excess assets. Not expect me to spare my cash.

Yea sorry, realised after and tried to delete but I couldn’t find any button too!

Every time I think I've heard the worst example of entitlement I'm wrong. Gobsmacked.

Indeed it was huge. What baffles me was dad is a banker and the level of wealth they had was significant - private schools, high end cars, five star holidays, designer everything - so I was shocked at how brass necked they were about it. It was of course for a good cause, no question, but one they could have funded themselves had they been prepared to reign in their lifestyle.

Some people have no dignity and no shame. Utterly ethically abhorrent to beg from people who likely have much less than you.

Nope. If you have ability sell stuff to fund. No one wants to see a child ill but the parents must make all attempts to self support before asking others to do so. They can sell some of their estate to fund.

Agreed