5 ms·

This is what happens when you try a Minimum Viable Product in healthcare and aren't up-front about slower than expected R&D progress.

by apo 10y ago

joshmn 10y ago
It also doesn't look good when you fail this hard without a credited scientist on your board. And the one who was took his life, and reportedly told his wife "nothing's working."
- MaxfordAndSons 10y ago
  I don't believe he was on the board of directors if that's what you mean. edit: incorrect statement about C-level positions.
  - dragonwriter 10y ago
    Chief Scientist or, somewhat more commonly, Chief Science Officer is a typical C-level position in biotech -- and possibly other non-software tech -- firms (roughly equivalent to a CTO in software firm.)
smaili 10y ago
Couldn't agree more. One has to wonder the limits of the move fast, break things philosophy.
- Analemma_ 10y ago
  Move fast and break people.
- api 10y ago
  It works when the things are non essential pieces of computer code or entirely unmanned test vehicles e.g. SpaceX landing attempts. In medicine, manned transport, etc. it's criminal.
hackaflocka 10y ago
The lack of transparency thing is a huge red-flag.
iaw 10y ago
Based on what little information is available so far it sounds like they did not have an acceptable false positive rate. I'm wondering if the secrecy allowed them to hide the underlying statistics, maybe not even intentionally. This is so stupid and a huge step backward from the consumer protection advances of the 20th century.
ohitsdom 10y ago
This is NOT a failure for MVP in healthcare. > "The inspection found that Edison machines in the lab often failed to meet the company’s own accuracy requirements." I'm assuming that accuracy is part of their MVP definition. Theranos is massive disaster, but it wasn't because they released a minimum product without all the desired features at once. The product seems fundamentally broken.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
vox_mollis 10y ago
aren't up-front about slower than expected R&D progress Why are people so quick to dismiss obvious fraud in terms like this? At what point do people begin to understand that peddling snake oil in this manner is securities fraud, and possibly even health insurance fraud?
- zodiac 10y ago
  Since fraud is a crime, my answer would have to be "when it's proven in a court of law".

This is what happens when you try a Minimum Viable Product in healthcare and aren't up-front about slower than expected R&D progress.

by apo 10y ago

This is what happens when you try a Minimum Viable Product in healthcare and aren't up-front about slower than expected R&D progress.

joshmn 10y ago

It also doesn't look good when you fail this hard without a credited scientist on your board. And the one who was took his life, and reportedly told his wife "nothing's working."

MaxfordAndSons 10y ago
I don't believe he was on the board of directors if that's what you mean. edit: incorrect statement about C-level positions.
- dragonwriter 10y ago
  Chief Scientist or, somewhat more commonly, Chief Science Officer is a typical C-level position in biotech -- and possibly other non-software tech -- firms (roughly equivalent to a CTO in software firm.)

smaili 10y ago

Couldn't agree more. One has to wonder the limits of the move fast, break things philosophy.

Analemma_ 10y ago
Move fast and break people.
api 10y ago
It works when the things are non essential pieces of computer code or entirely unmanned test vehicles e.g. SpaceX landing attempts. In medicine, manned transport, etc. it's criminal.

hackaflocka 10y ago

The lack of transparency thing is a huge red-flag.

iaw 10y ago

Based on what little information is available so far it sounds like they did not have an acceptable false positive rate. I'm wondering if the secrecy allowed them to hide the underlying statistics, maybe not even intentionally. This is so stupid and a huge step backward from the consumer protection advances of the 20th century.

ohitsdom 10y ago

This is NOT a failure for MVP in healthcare. > "The inspection found that Edison machines in the lab often failed to meet the company’s own accuracy requirements." I'm assuming that accuracy is part of their MVP definition. Theranos is massive disaster, but it wasn't because they released a minimum product without all the desired features at once. The product seems fundamentally broken.

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]

vox_mollis 10y ago

aren't up-front about slower than expected R&D progress Why are people so quick to dismiss obvious fraud in terms like this? At what point do people begin to understand that peddling snake oil in this manner is securities fraud, and possibly even health insurance fraud?

zodiac 10y ago
Since fraud is a crime, my answer would have to be "when it's proven in a court of law".