Theranos
Theranos
Theranos (/θɛˈrɑːnoʊs/) was a privately held health technology corporation. It was initially touted as a breakthrough technology company, but subsequently became infamous for its false claims to have devised blood tests that only needed very small amounts of blood.
Etymology
The name "Theranos" is a portmanteau of "therapy" and "diagnosis".
History
Theranos was founded by Elizabeth Holmes in 2003 to democratize healthcare. It raised more than $700 million from venture capitalists and private investors, resulting in a $10 billion valuation at its peak in 2013 and 2014. However, Theranos was later subject to scrutiny and regulatory actions by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other agencies.
Technology
Theranos claimed that its technology could comprehensively test a full range of clinical laboratory tests from a small sample of blood, and rapidly return results to the ordering healthcare provider. However, these claims were later proven to be false.
Legal issues
In 2018, the SEC charged Theranos and Holmes with deceiving investors by massive fraud through false or exaggerated claims about the accuracy of the company's blood testing technology. Holmes settled the charges by paying a fine and returning shares to the company.
Related terms
- Elizabeth Holmes
- U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
- Clinical laboratory
- Blood test
- Health technology
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Theranos
- Wikipedia's article - Theranos
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