Theranos: Who Has Blood on Their Hands? (A)
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Reference: HBS-619039-E
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Year: Event Year Start:2010
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Number of pages: 35
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Geographic Setting: Geographic Setting:Massachusetts
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Publication Date: Feb 6, 2019
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Fecha de edición: Feb 13, 2020
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Source: HBSP (USA)
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Type of Document: Case
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Industry Setting: Industry Setting:Online information services;Travel services
This case covers the rise and fall of Theranos, the company founded by Elizabeth Holmes in 2004 to revolutionize the blood testing industry by creating a device that could provide from a small finger prick the same results and accuracy as intravenous blood draws. As founder and CEO, Holmes was hailed as the most successful female tech entrepreneur ever. In October 2015, however, a Wall Street Journal article exposed internal struggles and questioned the startup's trajectory. Subsequent investigations revealed that Theranos, despite commercial operations in 40 retail locations, lacked a functioning product. Set in 2017, the (A) Case opens with Theranos' motion to dismiss the class action lawsuit filed by two investors who claimed that Theranos and its officers had violated California's securities law and engaged in fraud.