A study has been conducted by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai to understand the accuracy of the tests done by Theranos, the controversial blood test company. The blood tests done by Theranos do not require needle jabs; only a prick on the finger is enough. The outcomes have not been very promising for the company. Blood tests results of 60 patients were used to carry out the analysis of tests conducted by Theranos.

These test results were compared with the test outcomes of other larger companies like Laboratory Corporation of America and Quest Diagnostics DGX +0.87%. The analysis revealed that cholesterol levels recorded by Theranos were regularly five to ten points too low.

The company had 12.5 times more chances of failing to get results from the collected sample. Furthermore, the chance of test results being either too low or too high was 60% more in case of Theranos. The Journal of Clinical Investigation published the study.

However, the company defends itself by saying that Theranos has also carried out its internal investigations by comparing its own cholesterol test results with those of other laboratories. Theranos did not find any variation in the test results. The company also claimed that the researchers from Mt. Sinai are likely to have found the variations in the test results due to the difference in the collection methods.

“I would tell patients that I will not base any medical decisions yet on these Theranos blood tests until more is known. I would tell them there is no evidence that more frequent testing at home is going to do them any good,” said the Co-director of the Center for Pharmaceutical Policy and Prescribing at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Walid Gellad. Theranos is in urgent state to clear out its name since a lot is at stake, including a $3.6 billion empire of Theranos’ Founder Elizabeth Holmes.