A number of class-action lawsuits have been filed in Northern California against the Arizona-based blood-testing firm Theranos.
Some of the class actions allege that Theranos falsely advertised its products to consumers. Others allege that the company breached its contract with customers by not providing what had been promised—a minimally invasive procedure and accurate test results.
Theranos specializes in “non-invasive” blood testing, selling blood tests to individuals in Wellness Centers at Walgreens Pharmacies. The company claimed that its proprietary technology was capable of analyzing dozens of diagnostic tests with a single drop of blood. Its “smaller than a dime” test tube has become almost a hallmark for the company. Three lawsuits emerged after findings that advertisements produced by Theranos, which claimed the company was in compliance with federal regulation, were created during a time when Theranos was regularly sanctioned by federal authorities, including the Centers for Medicare, Medicaid Services and the FDA. In addition, the lawsuits allege that lab tests were performed at the wrong settings and test data from Theranos differed from two of the largest laboratory companies enough to where it would negatively impact patient care.
