Ethics

I received an e-mail over the weekend that frustrated me, so I’ve penned my reply here today. For the purpose of this blog post, I will refer to my e-mail recipient as “Content Marketing Specialist.” Well, technically she was.

Dear Content Marketing Specialist,

I’m afraid I cannot support your client’s practice of giving people money for their unused glucose test strips. Yes, the person who you buy the test strips off might receive “some” financial assistance. I quote the word ‘some,’ because I seriously doubt that it would amount to anything significant towards those “financial burdens” of managing diabetes that “we all understand.” However, you neglect to mention that your client is also taking advantage of another person with diabetes in need when the test strips are onsold. Your client is making a profit as a middleman, a practice which is unethical.

I will not be placing a link to your client’s website on my blog, beside other charitable organisations on my resources page. I would hardly compare your client to some of the other charitable organisations on my Resources page. Organisations such as Diabetes Australia, who place the importance of assisting people with diabetes in need ahead of making a profit. Government organisations such as the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS), who heavily subsidise the cost of my test strips with Australian taxpayers hard earned money. It seems like a real insult to them to take advantage of this scheme, which gives me greater access, better management and peace of mind over the disease that I live with.

I am extremely fortunate that I live in a country where I have access to diabetes supplies such as insulin, test strips and syringes. Supplies that I heavily rely on to keep me alive, and dare I say healthy. There are many other people out there in less fortunate parts of the world who don’t have the same luxury. People die each day because they cannot get access to life saving supplies. And if I had the means to do so, I would go there and help those people directly.

If you had actually read this blog that contains “useful information for diabetics,” you would know that I would not even consider standing for such a practice.

So, now I will put something to you. How about dropping your client and directing your resources towards an organisation or cause that is doing actual good for people with diabetes?

This, coincidentally, is what I will be doing throughout November, which is Diabetes Awareness Month.

I hope you will join me.

Many thanks,

Frank