Over 400 patients who took a groundbreaking oncology detection test developed by US biotech company Grail were left reeling after receiving letters last month that falsely suggested they may have developed cancer. The letters were sent in error by Grail’s telemedicine provider PWNHealth, and the company has since moved quickly to reassure affected customers that their test results were wrong. However, the incident has raised concerns among some insurers who are trialing Galleri, a multi-cancer early detection test that claims to be able to spot over 50 cancers from a single draw of blood. Grail is selling Galleri at around $950 per test and marketing it to insurers and large employers. The test has been hailed as “revolutionary” and “cutting edge” by British and US health chiefs, but many experts have urged caution in introducing them before large-scale clinical trials prove they can save lives.
Today, more than 400 patients were mistakenly informed that their recent medical tests had discovered cancer, leading to unnecessary psychological stress and panic amongst those affected.
The incorrect information was sent out by the Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Reno, Nevada, which initially identified the tests as positive. However, later investigations revealed that the results were in fact negative.
The medical center apologised for this error, citing its “upgraded electronic health record system for laboratory orders” as the cause. Although the medical record system works to protect patient information and efficiency of laboratory test ordering for doctors, it caused “unintended notification” which resulted in the inaccurate diagnosis of the 400 patients. The center also confirmed that no patient was treated or prescribed medication based off of the false results.
Whilst this is undoubtedly a major blunder on the part of the medical center, it highlights the need for stringent computer system checks in order to prevent similar misguided notifications in the future. Similarly, it also points out the need for greater attention to detail when using systems such as these which have the potential to influence the health of the public.
In the meantime the medical center has gone to great efforts to contact those affected and reassure them of their status. This includes letters of apology for the distress and anxiety caused by this incident and a follow-up appointment with their doctor or a reference to a cancer specialty clinic. The medical center is also reviewing its processes to ensure similar errors do not happen again.
Although it seems as if the medical center is taking the necessary steps to rectify this problem, the false diagnosis understandably caused anxiety and distress amongst the 400 patients affected. It is of utmost importance that mistakes such as these are avoided in the future to ensure the provision of accurate medical data and treatment.
