19. The Tip

Dated May 21, 2018; last modified on Sun, 14 Mar 2021

Alan retrieved the proficiency testing email chain through a whistleblower law firm. He forwarded the thread to Carreyrou. The thread showed Sunny admonishing Alan & Mark for running proficiency tests on the Edison and admitting that the device had “failed” the test. Elizabeth was copied on most of the emails.

Carreyrou tracked Carmen Washington, who had complained about Theranos’s blood tests in Walgreens. 3 of her patients had received questionable test results.

Sundene, a family practitioner in Phoeniz, had sent one of her patients, Glunz, to the ER because of a frightening lab report from Theranos. As an independent real-estate broker, Glunz was self-insured and the ER visit plus subsequent MRIs cost her $3k.

WSJ has a “no surprises” rule. They never go to press with a story without giving the subject a chance to rebut everything.