You can see every red flag in Theranos 2.0
Elizabeth Holmes’ partner, Billy Evans, is developing Haemanthus, a diagnostic device that the film *You Can See Everything* presents as a possible “Theranos 2.0”. The article argues that the venture raises familiar concerns about overstating what medical technology can do, especially when claims are difficult for the public to assess.
Theranos promised more than 100 tests from a drop of blood, but its device did not work as advertised, and the company relied on conventional Siemens equipment. The article explains that finger-prick samples can be contaminated or diluted, and that different biomarkers may need different tests. Haemanthus reportedly uses Raman spectroscopy, a laser-based method discovered in 1928; its potential medical uses are real, but whether it can deliver the diagnostic claims described remains uncertain.
In short
- Haemanthus revives questions raised by Theranos.
- Raman spectroscopy is established technology, not a new discovery.
- The article urges caution about ambitious medical claims.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Haemanthus may be pursuing a legitimate line of research: Raman spectroscopy has real potential in medicine, and uncertainty about whether a device will meet its aims is not evidence that it cannot. Developing new diagnostics requires investment and testing, and public scrutiny can help ensure the company substantiates its claims without dismissing the technology or its possible benefits in advance.
The case against
The Theranos experience shows the harm when ambitious diagnostic claims outpace reliable evidence, particularly in a field where patients and the public may struggle to assess technical promises. Finger-prick samples can pose measurement challenges, and different biomarkers may require different methods, so Haemanthus should face close independent validation before its capabilities are presented as established.