The China-Dolls Center has issued a response to an open letter that criticized it over alleged unauthorized fund raising. In its response the Center pointed out that it has always carried out its operations in accordance to relevant guidelines [Background story here]. During the recent Ice Bucket Challenge fundraiser campaign that caused the furor, China Dolls Center said that it had consulted and obtained approval from the China Social Welfare Foundation prior to carrying out the campaign. As a result the proceeds from the Ice Bucket Challenge were to be channeled to a special fund that would be independently managed and overseen by an external oversight committee.
Regarding the allegations that ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) cannot be categorized as a rare disease (due to WHO standards of 0.065% of the population being the cut-off for such a category) and hence China-Doll’s actions were a transgression of its jurisdiction, China-Dolls responded stating that since China has yet to establish a legal definition of rare diseases, it followed the actions of other countries, including Taiwan, to include ALS in the scope of ‘rare diseases’.
The China Dolls Center, towards the end of the statement, said that although some quarters did not understand its efforts, the Center would continue to pursue its normal actions. The Center welcomes the input of patients and concerns of oversight. The Center concluded by calling for other organizations in the third sector to collaborate with each other and discuss issues together.
