Health firm incorrectly informed hundreds of individuals of potential cancer diagnosis

A biotechnology company, Grail, known for selling a groundbreaking blood test priced at $949 to detect various types of cancer, recently made an error by falsely informing about 400 customers that they may have the disease. In a statement to CBS MoneyWatch, a spokesperson for Grail admitted that the company mistakenly sent a form letter to some customers stating that a cancer signal was detected when it was not the case. Grail attributed the error to PWN Health, its vendor, citing a software configuration issue.

PWN Health, in response, acknowledged that it was due to a misconfiguration of their patient engagement platform used for sending templated communications. The company recognized the mistake and has implemented processes to prevent its recurrence. They have also initiated contact with the affected individuals within 36 hours of discovering the error.

This incident occurred in the context of an increasing demand for health care screening tests, particularly for chronic diseases like cancer. Grail positions its service as a complementary option to routine single-cancer tests, such as those for colon or breast cancer. The company claims that their blood test can detect forms of the disease that are not typically screened for, including those affecting the gallbladder and pancreas.

Grail clarified that no reports of patient harm or adverse events have been received as a result of the erroneous letters. They promptly reached out to each individual who received the letter and confirmed successful communication through phone, email, or letter exchanges. The spokesperson emphasized that the issue had no connection to incorrect Galleri laboratory test results.

The majority of the erroneous letters were sent to customers who had not yet undergone the Galleri blood test, according to the spokeswoman.