Four More Criticisms Of Theranos

I previously wrote about Elizabeth Holmes, her company Theranos, and the criticism which has been leveled at their claims:

http://sainthoward.blogspot.com/2015/05/a-medical-success-story.html

Now additional criticisms have been made by the head of clinical biochemistry at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/scientist-just-raised-4-serious-172000358.html

As a former phlebotomist, I can vouch for the accuracy of criticism No. 3 regarding pain. Finger pricks can be much more painful than sticking a needle into a vein. I've done both, and I've endured both ... many times.

And the "direct-to-patient results" criticism (No. 4) is problematic at best. Recently the FDA has been waffling over giving approval for the company 23andMe to provide direct-to-patient DNA test results without the consultation of a physician. I agree that our medical test results should be our property, but the possibility of untrained and unknowledgeable patients conducting their own diagnosis and treatment on the basis of Theranos test results is rather scary.

There are a lot of industries where disruptive technologies make sense, but I'm not sure medicine is one of them.