The Theranos Trap

EcoFriendly cleaning products and more...100% of profit to charity! https://www.good.store Theranos was fraud, of course, but that leads us to the most compelling question...HOW. How did they get so many people to believe...what was it about their story that was so compelling. Not just one thing, for sure, but one of the things is what I call "The Theranos Trap." There is only one way out of the Theranos Trap, and that is through understanding. Now, of course, sometimes we need adventurous rebels to ask questions like "What if there was a device you could stick to your skin that knew everything about you and could give you medicine when you need." But we also need normal people who have heard of things to say, "Well, that would be cool, but it's impossible." Video edited by me and Aves: https://bsky.app/profile/avesmhl.com Interview edited by Nies: https://bsky.app/profile/nies.bsky.social SOURCES! SEC Files on the Theranos Litigation https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/complaints/2018/comp-pr2018-41-theranos-holmes.pdf Theranos reached a valuation of roughly $9 billion: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/12/15/blood-simpler Elizabeth Holmes and Sunny Balwani convicted: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndca/pr/elizabeth-holmes-sentenced-more-11-years-defrauding-theranos-investors-hundreds https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndca/pr/theranos-president-sentenced-more-12-years-fraud-jeopardized-patient-health-and-bilked Stuff About Blood! https://prod-www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/dlp/whole-blood.html https://www.aabb.org/regulatory-and-advocacy/regulatory-affairs/regulatory-for-blood/plasma-components The Coulter counter (CBC) https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_1200679 https://www.beckman.com/resources/reading-material/application-notes/cellular-analysis-using-the-coulter-principle Hematology can combine a bunch of techniques https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/reviews/K141681.pdf Fluorescent flow cytometry (differential): https://www.sysmex.com/-/media/project/sysmex/sysmex/documents/brochures/xn-1000-brochure.pdf?sc_lang=en-ca The ADVIA 2120/2120i can process 120 CBC/differential samples per hour: https://doclib.siemens-healthineers.com/rest/v1/view?document-id=592706 You can get a refurbished one for like $5000! Blood drawn for laboratory testing result in anemia in intensive care: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2810758 The Canadian STRATUS Study which showed there was some benefit to smaller tubes (but only in secondary analysis): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37824152/ Potassium-EDTA contamination: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18768536/ Clotting assays https://www.bd.com/en-us/products-and-solutions/products/product-families/bd-vacutainer-blood-collection-tubes https://academy.siemens-healthineers.com/_/en-us/hemostasis-basic-overview-online-training/ Glucose Testing https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/46/10/e151/153425/Guidelines-and-Recommendations-for-Laboratory Serum collection tubes and tests: https://www.bd.com/en-us/products-and-solutions/products/product-page.367841 https://doclib.siemens-healthineers.com/rest/v1/view?document-id=1066994 Immunoassays https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immunoassay https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy/monoclonal-antibodies https://www.beckmancoulter.com/download/file/phxC94179D-EN_US/C94179D?type=pdf https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/reviews/K210901.pdf The MiniLab: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29376134/ https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/theranos-unveils-its-diagnostic-testing-technologies-at-american-association-for-clinical-chemistry-meeting-300307117.html Other Tubes (metals, sugar tubes) https://www.bd.com/en-anz/products-and-solutions/products/product-page.368380 https://www.bd.com/en-us/products-and-solutions/products/product-page.364606 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12433734/ https://www.mayocliniclabs.com/test-catalog/Overview/609354 The Edison https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/complaints/2018/comp-pr2018-41-theranos-holmes.pdf Theranos ran most patient tests using regular lab equipment (but badly) https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2018-41 https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2025/12/22/23-1167.pdf https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Holmes-gov-sentencing-19721901-0-17879.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-ca9-22-10312/pdf/USCOURTS-ca9-22-10312-0.pdf Capillary Collection (and problems with it) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK138654/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26572995/ https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf19/K190898.pdf Modified laboratory tests require work! https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5806a1.htm Fraud Stuff https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2025/12/22/23-1167.pdf https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/complaints/2018/comp-pr2018-41-theranos-holmes.pdf