Massachusetts Stops Coronavirus Testing At Boston Lab After 383 False Positives Found
BOSTON (CBS) - The state has stopped coronavirus testing at a Boston laboratory after investigators found more than 300 positive tests there were actually negative.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health said Tuesday it started looking at Orig3n's lab in the Seaport in early August because of "an unusually high positivity rate of tests" there.
Testing was then stopped at Orig3n on August 8.
Investigators re-tested samples at an independent lab and found at least 383 in Massachusetts were "erroneously positive."
"We also retested the affected samples both internally and at an external reference lab, and communicated those results to our clients. We then put a plan in place to prevent future incidents," Orig3n CEO Robin Smith said in a statement Tuesday. "We're currently working with the state of MA to finalize steps that will enable us to resume testing in our Boston lab."
Orig3n, which is federally certified and licensed by the state of Massachusetts, now has until Monday, September 14 to submit a plan to fix the problems that led to the false results or face sanctions.
According to DPH, approximately 60 nursing and rest homes are or have been clients of Orig3n.
Smith said their clients also include schools and private and public employers.
