Blood tests are the key indicator of a patient’s health on a biochemical level. They detect illnesses from haemophilia to COPD, test the functioning of organs, confirm the presence of a bacterial/viral illness and are even used in genetic screening.
Theranos, a company started by Stanford University dropout Elizabeth Holmes, is revolutionising diagnostics. Currently blood test prices in the US are through the roof, with everyone from private hospitals to insurance companies affecting patients’ right to accessible information about their bodies. Not only are they expensive, but vials of blood are required, making the process long and inefficient. The answer? Theranos.
Theranos claims to be able to offer up to fifty blood tests using just a drop of blood, drawn by a single pinprick. Transparency is at the heart of the company, along with fairness and equality when it comes to healthcare. The website already offers an extensive list of blood tests available, accompanied by the astonishingly low prices, undercutting regular phlebotomy tests by a tenth to a quarter. Holmes is definitely one to watch as she expands her company and creates the future of medical diagnostics.
Keen Medic 