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Theranos Wellness Centers Aren’t Using “Nanotainers” at This Time

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Re: Theranos Wellness Centers Aren’t Using “Nanotainers” at This Time

#71

Post by joshpadnick »

I live in Phoenix, AZ and voluntarily sought out a Theranos test as part of an annual check-up last January. My PCP (primary care physician) ordered a bunch of blood tests, and I made the call to use a Theranos center at Walgreens.

I showed up and they already had the order. I was advised that my insurance probably would not be accepted, but the total cost for a CBC, Lipid Panel, and 2 other blood tests was $42 cash so no insurance coverage was STILL cheaper than my covered labs.

To draw the blood, a near-painless prick of my finger was used to fill I believe 2 nanotainers. A few days later, the results were sent to my PCP (though for some reason never to me).

The entire process was (nearly) painless, extremely affordable, and convenient.

I can't speak beyond my personal experience to the broader allegations, but I have to say that the vibe I got from the whole experience is that the innovation is real. Cheap tests I can order directly that are quicker to take and nearly pain-free? Yes, please!

But based on mixed signals in the media, there is now an open question on whether the test results are in fact accurate.

Also, although the company responded publicly to the allegations[1], for some reason the pitchforks haven't gone away. It also does seem like the transparency has left a little to be desired. Maybe this would spill key trade secrets?

Sadly, given all the media confusion, I don't feel I can trust the results of a Theranos test anymore, but that's mostly because of all the media noise, and nothing to do with my experience itself. Hopefully, they can find a way to restore confidence in the service. If it delivers on the promise, it would be transformative.

[1] https://www.theranos.com/news/posts/custom/theranos-facts

Re: Theranos Wellness Centers Aren’t Using “Nanotainers” at This Time

#72

Post by dpim »

adevine wrote: post #59
icelancer wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is there ANYTHING like this? Been searching casually for it but no luck. Would love any leads on this.

https://www.anylabtestnow.com . Unfortunately, the tests are quite expensive. I believe they need to basically get a BS prescription for the tests, which adds to the expense. Theranos specifically lobbied Arizona to get the law changed so that consumers could order their own tests. I hope other states follow suit, and I hope the Theranos drama doesn't make other states think this is a bad idea.

In a previous Theranos thread, someone made the comment that there are dangers to allowing consumers to access tests and test data without interpretation or prescription by a doctor. Results can be misleading without context and could lead to rash and adverse health decisions. Not sure if I agree 100%, but it seems like a valid concern.

Re: Theranos Wellness Centers Aren’t Using “Nanotainers” at This Time

#73

Post by pavel_lishin »

sandGorgon wrote: post #30
adevine wrote: post #24

To me, one of the sad things about the Theranos debacle is that even if they DON'T have super whiz-bang nanotainer technology, the general model of having affordable, transparently priced tests where you can just walk into a Walgreen's and order them is pretty awesome in my opinion. There are other companies that offer something somewhat similar (e.g. AnyLabTestNow), but the experience still sucks - locations/times a…

Is this something innovative? In india, i just paid 90$ and got 14 different tests including tumor markers tested for. The blood was collected at home (and then sent to a central testing facility). Unless, it is radically new technology... I'm curious on the value proposition here.

I wonder if it would be feasible to collect blood in the United States and ship it to India for testing.

Re: Theranos Wellness Centers Aren’t Using “Nanotainers” at This Time

#74

Post by pavel_lishin »

joshpadnick wrote: post #71

I live in Phoenix, AZ and voluntarily sought out a Theranos test as part of an annual check-up last January. My PCP (primary care physician) ordered a bunch of blood tests, and I made the call to use a Theranos center at Walgreens. I showed up and they already had the order. I was advised that my insurance probably would not be accepted, but the total cost for a CBC, Lipid Panel, and 2 other blood tests was $42 cash…

> But based on mixed signals in the media, there is now an open question on whether the test results are in fact accurate.

Were yours?

Re: Theranos Wellness Centers Aren’t Using “Nanotainers” at This Time

#75

Post by warrenmar »

joshpadnick wrote: post #71

I live in Phoenix, AZ and voluntarily sought out a Theranos test as part of an annual check-up last January. My PCP (primary care physician) ordered a bunch of blood tests, and I made the call to use a Theranos center at Walgreens. I showed up and they already had the order. I was advised that my insurance probably would not be accepted, but the total cost for a CBC, Lipid Panel, and 2 other blood tests was $42 cash…

There's a paper in the Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine journal titled, "Theranos phenomenon: promises and fallacies" [1]. It says most of the cost are related to overhead and personnel, not technology. Consumables are cheap. Also it is entirely possible that tests are being subsidized with VC money currently. I don't know what they would have to charge to be cash flow positive.

[1] http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/cclm.2015.53.issue-7/cclm-20...

Re: Theranos Wellness Centers Aren’t Using “Nanotainers” at This Time

#76

Post by beagle3 »

dpim wrote: post #72
adevine wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://www.anylabtestnow.com . Unfortunately, the tests are quite expensive. I believe they need to basically get a BS prescription for the tests, which adds to the expense. Theranos specifically lobbied Arizona to get the law changed so that consumers could order their own tests. I hope other states follow suit, and I hope the Theranos drama doesn't make other states think this is a bad idea.

In a previous Theranos thread, someone made the comment that there are dangers to allowing consumers to access tests and test data without interpretation or prescription by a doctor. Results can be misleading without context and could lead to rash and adverse health decisions. Not sure if I agree 100%, but it seems like a valid concern.

There is no reason to speculate - just compare to countries that have these. in many countries, you can get almost any test you want without a doctor. There are very few tests that require a doctor or trained professional to give you the results (hiv, hep-c) - essentially those with prognosis (whether real or perceived) that has grim future. You CAN still do the tests on your own in these cases, but not directly get the results.

It is all about the money, no other concern. The same as it is illegal to pump your own gas in New Jersey "because safety". It would be a valid concern unless every other place in the world had already shown it isn't one.

For some reason, it is considered impolite in American politics to consider other places' experience.

Re: Theranos Wellness Centers Aren’t Using “Nanotainers” at This Time

#77

Post by joshpadnick »

pavel_lishin wrote: post #74
joshpadnick wrote: post #71

I live in Phoenix, AZ and voluntarily sought out a Theranos test as part of an annual check-up last January. My PCP (primary care physician) ordered a bunch of blood tests, and I made the call to use a Theranos center at Walgreens. I showed up and they already had the order. I was advised that my insurance probably would not be accepted, but the total cost for a CBC, Lipid Panel, and 2 other blood tests was $42 cash…

> But based on mixed signals in the media, there is now an open question on whether the test results are in fact accurate. Were yours?

That's the problem. I have no way of knowing since I didn't also get the same blood tests from a conventional lab. So I have no baseline to compare them to.

Re: Theranos Wellness Centers Aren’t Using “Nanotainers” at This Time

#78

Post by randycupertino »

codezero wrote: post #61
randycupertino wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's because Theranos with it's pretty blonde Stanford dropout founder was an absolute media darling for 7 months to a year, could do no wrong, had heaps of fawning puff piece press. Now that their questionable tech has come to light, the press feels burned and is vengeful of being caught giving them a blowjob without due diligence. So now the media swings the opposite way and lashes out at Theranos to overcompensate…

again, why does the attractiveness and hair color of the founder have anything to do with this discussion?

Because they used it as a way to cultivate attention to their company. She was a Glamour "Woman of the Year" http://fortune.com/2015/10/29/theranos-founder-ceo-elizabeth...

Her pedigree, looks, family $$, being a Stanford dropout, blonde haircut, blue eyes, Steve Jobs drag and surfer voice (she took vocal coaching to deepen her voice to sound more like a leader) all combined as tantalizing catnip to the press. Theranos knew this and purposely stirred up a media storm focusing singularly on Holmes, NOT on the technology. Almost like it was constructed like a sleight of hand so everyone would be distracted by the cult of personality around the pretty blonde founder and ignore their lack of peer reviewed research that their testing methods actually worked.

Re: Theranos Wellness Centers Aren’t Using “Nanotainers” at This Time

#79

Post by ascorbic »

codezero wrote: post #20
Dr_tldr wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I just re-read your original post and realized you're probably not a native speaker of english (or were writing in a hurry on a phone), my apologies! Theranos is catching a lot of flak right now because they claim to be a company founded on this awesome new technology, but they seem to be use existing technologies for all the services they currently offer, they won't show people their wonder-device, and the sto…

The use of existing technologies seems like an unimportant factor. Uber uses cars, more to the point they started using private limo contractors and still do. They nonetheless provided a service above and beyond what you could get before. Is Theranos using existing technologies and still not providing value above the incumbents? This is what I really want to know. I just don't know.

This is more like if Uber claimed to be using self-driving cars, but actually had a guy sitting in the trunk doing all the driving. Or maybe a chess machine with a person inside it. Sure it works, but it's a little less interesting.

Re: Theranos Wellness Centers Aren’t Using “Nanotainers” at This Time

#80

Post by TTPrograms »

sandGorgon wrote: post #30
adevine wrote: post #24

To me, one of the sad things about the Theranos debacle is that even if they DON'T have super whiz-bang nanotainer technology, the general model of having affordable, transparently priced tests where you can just walk into a Walgreen's and order them is pretty awesome in my opinion. There are other companies that offer something somewhat similar (e.g. AnyLabTestNow), but the experience still sucks - locations/times a…

Is this something innovative? In india, i just paid 90$ and got 14 different tests including tumor markers tested for. The blood was collected at home (and then sent to a central testing facility). Unless, it is radically new technology... I'm curious on the value proposition here.

The blood was collected at home? As in the patients draw vials of their own blood?
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