Company:EverlyWell
| Industry | Health care |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2015 |
| Founder | Julia Cheek |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | at-home lab tests |
| Services | Blood tests |
| Website | EverlyWell.com |
EverlyWell is an American-based company that offers at-home lab tests for a variety of purposes. Their testing covers hormone and vitamin levels, food sensitivities, STDs, and several more, including some tests with DNA components. Their test kits are not currently approved by the FDA. Multiple medical doctors question the necessity and usefulness of these tests, particularly the food sensitivity test. The company was founded in 2015 by Julia Cheek and is known for its appearance in a 2017 episode of Shark Tank.
History
Julia Cheek graduated from Harvard University with an MBA.[1][2]
In 2015 Cheek was struggling with illness. Upon bringing her concerns to a doctor, she found she had to submit to several lab tests, which often took a long time and never led to her personally seeing the results. The difficulty of the process and the financial cost of discovering that she had hormone and vitamin deficiencies inspired her to found EverlyWell later in the same year as an attempt to simplify this process for others.[1][3][2] EverlyWell headquarters are based in Austin, Texas , Texas .[4][2]
In 2016 the company was first presented to an audience of retail executives at Global Market Development Center’s Retail Tomorrow "Demo Day".[5].
In 2017 Cheek presented the company on Shark Tank.[6] Lori Greiner made a deal for $1 million as a line of credit at eight percent interest in exchange for a 5% equity stake.[1][3][7][5][2] This same year EverlyWell also partnered with Helix to provide DNA testing in conjunction with some of their tests.[8][4]
As of April 2019, press releases from EverlyWell announced that they had raised an additional $50 million in investor capital.[3][9] As of this date they also consider Humana and CVS to be partner companies, and they have begun selling 9 of their tests nationally in Target stores.[3][10]
Services
EverlyWell offers many different at-home lab tests[1]. As of 2019 they offer 35 different in-home tests for a variety of conditions. Julia Cheek describes their offering as "wellness panels", all of which are tests a consumer can request without a referral from a doctor.[9] In an interview with a Forbes contributor she says, "we’ve built technology that empowers people to get tests more easily. Our medical director works with the labs to create panels that are already validated and clinically-relevant and understandable for consumers."[1]
The test offerings include: sexual health or STD,[1][10][9][5][3][11][4] thyroid level,[1][4] metabolism,[1][9][5][4] Vitamin D,[9] Men's health,[1][4] testosterone,[9] DHA levels in breast milk,[1][12][11][4] food sensitivities,[9][12][10][5][3][11] cholesterol,[9] Lyme Disease,[3] fatigue,[9] sleep and stress,[11][12] Ovarian reserve,[5] and heavy metals.[11]
As of 2017, their tests with an added DNA component[5] are the food sensitivity test, the metabolism test, and the breast milk DHA test.[4]
They offer prescriptions through independent physician consultations for cases of Lyme Disease or certain sexually transmitted diseases.[3]
EverlyWell's testing is most frequently used by people who have been to the doctor but still struggle to figure out the cause of their symptoms.[10][12] EverlyWell's test kits are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration as of 2019.[6][7]
EverlyWell conducts original research. As of 2019 their listing of "our studies" includes three studies that consist of data collected from their customers. None of the studies are controlled nor have they been published in peer-reviewed journals.[11]
Criticism
Food sensitivities and IgG testing
One of EverlyWell's most popular tests is its food sensitivity test, which is an IgG test of 96 different foods.[7][13] According to EverlyWell's website, Immunoglobulin G, or IgG, reactions to specific foods could potentially be the cause of such ailments as IBS or migraines. They base this on evidence cited in some small studies.[6]
IgG tests are not considered accurate enough to be regularly used by allergists or medical doctors in diagnosing allergies and sensitivities. The presence of IgG antibodies does not confirm an allergy but rather that body has encountered that substance at some point in the recent past.[14][13]
In 2008 the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology published a statement arguing that IgG testing "should not be used to diagnose food sensitivities." Shortly after, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology also put out a statement in agreement.[6][7][11][14] Of the IgG antibody test they stated:
It is important to understand that this test has never been scientifically proven to be able to accomplish what it reports to do. The scientific studies that are provided to support the use of this test are often out of date, in non-reputable journals and many have not even used the IgG test in question. The presence of IgG is likely a normal response of the immune system to exposure to food. In fact, higher levels of IgG to foods may simply be associated with tolerance to those foods.[6]
The Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology also commented on IgG direct-to-consumer testing a few years later:
[P]ositive test results for food-specific IgG are to be expected in normal, healthy adults and children. Furthermore, the inappropriate use of this test only increases the likelihood of false diagnoses being made, resulting in unnecessary dietary restrictions and decreased quality of life.[14]
In response to these statements, Tina Heilman, who is a spokesperson for EverlyWell, says:
EverlyWell recognizes that the AAAAI does not support any form of food sensitivity testing (which is not just limited to IgG testing), but they are not the entire 'medical community,' and AAAAI does not speak for all health care providers. IgG tests are currently ordered by thousands of medical providers in the U.S."[6]
Neha Shah is a medical doctor who works at Stanford University as a rheumatologist and immunologist. When interviewed about at home IgG food testing, Shah stated she does not use food sensitivity tests in her practice, and instead suggests that patients save their money and begin with an elimination diet if they suspect food as the culprit.[6]
Robert Wood is a medical doctor who works at Johns Hopkins Children's Center. Wood told STAT in an interview that IgG tests “are completely useless and do dramatic harm."[14][7] This harm comes from patients unnecessarily eliminating many foods from their diet as a result of this testing.[14][7]
Stewart Carr is a medical doctor who is an allergist and immunologist and works as an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Alberta. Carr feels IgG tests are a waste of money. He says, "food-sensitivity companies are really just taking your money. Anytime you see a disclaimer on a medical test saying that the test is not meant to diagnose or replace a doctor, you can just stop there.”[13]
Marra Francis is a medical doctor who works as the executive medical director for EverlyWell.[15][6] She says their products serve as a useful first step for people who want to "take their health into their own hands."[6]
Of EverlyWell's food sensitivity testing, which tests 96 different immune responses to foods, Francis says, "a lot of times this testing can be a bridge between vague symptoms and an actual plan that you create with your provider".[6] She recommends that patients follow up their results with an elimination diet.[15][6]
Francis says:
Unfortunately it's not a one to one where it's not like this is positive so that means you automatically have a sensitivity. It's just trying to help people prioritize which foods may be likely to be causing their sensitivities.[15]
Francis also states that EverlyWell does not suggest patients eliminate critical food groups from their diets without first keeping a detailed food diary and consulting with their doctor.[10]
A statement from EverlyWell regarding their IgG test says, “EverlyWell believes providing this test aligns with relevant third-party research around the [immunoglobulin G] test’s usefulness in conjunction with an elimination diet."[7]
See also
- Food intolerance
- Immunoglobulin G
- Theranos
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Gross, Elana Lyn (16 July 2018). "How This Female Founder Is Making The Healthcare Industry More Accessible". Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/elanagross/2018/07/16/how-this-female-founder-is-democratizing-the-health-care-industry/#2aea8b0d1a44. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Maskaly, Michelle (4 January 2018). "EverlyWell CEO Draws on Outside Experience to Lead Health Company to Success". pharmexec. http://www.pharmexec.com/everlywell-ceo-draws-outside-experience-lead-health-company-success. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Gross, Elana Lyn (16 April 2019). "EverlyWell Raises $50M To Make At-Home Lab Testing More Accessible". Forbes. Archived from the original on 10 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190610061903/https://www.forbes.com/sites/elanagross/2019/04/16/everlywell-fundraising/. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Heileman, Tina (24 July 2017). "EverlyWell Partners with Helix to Launch New Suite of DNA Tests to Provide Deeper Insights about Health and Wellness". Business Wire. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170724005347/en/EverlyWell-Partners-Helix-Launch-New-Suite-DNA. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Mendelson, Seth (1 December 2017). "EverlyWell jumps the 'Shark'". Drug Store News. https://www.drugstorenews.com/news/everlywell-jumps-shark/. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 McClurg, Lesley (28 May 2018). "Do DIY Medical Tests Promise More Than They Can Deliver?". National Public Radio. Archived from the original on 10 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190610063334/https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/05/28/614125270/do-diy-medical-tests-promise-more-than-they-can-deliver. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Bond, Allison (23 January 2018). "A 'Shark Tank'-funded test for food sensitivity is medically dubious, experts say". STAT. https://www.statnews.com/2018/01/23/everlywell-food-sensitivity-test/. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ↑ Brodwin, Erin (3 August 2018). "DNA-testing companies like 23andMe sell your genetic data to drugmakers and other Silicon Valley startups". Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/dna-testing-ancestry-23andme-share-data-companies-2018-8. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 Shieber, Jonathan (April 2019). "With 35 different in-home health diagnostic tests now on offer, EverlyWell raises $50 million to expand". TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/16/with-35-different-in-home-health-diagnostic-tests-now-on-offer-everlywell-raises-50-million-to-expand/. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 "How effective are at-home food sensitivity kits?". WPXI. 17 May 2019. https://www.wpxi.com/news/top-stories/food-allergies-how-effective-are-at-home-food-sensitivity-kits-/950237804. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 Hall, Harriet (4 June 2019). "Everlywell: At-Home Lab Tests That Don't Make Sense". Science-Based Medicine. https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/everlywell-at-home-lab-tests-that-dont-make-sense/?fbclid=IwAR1iRfWsCnfHLmoLDD5rA5KJJAC9htde6GqLxQrSdPjkzveXlwIoOalC9bU. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Alcedo, Madison (13 May 2019). "EveryWell’s Easy-to-Use Food Sensitivity Test Helps Identify Foods You Should Avoid—And We Tried It". Real Simple. https://www.realsimple.com/health/nutrition-diet/healthy-eating/everlywell-reviews. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Shilton, AC (17 November 2016). "Should You Take a Food-Sensitivity Test?". Outside. Archived from the original on 7 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190607052621/https://www.outsideonline.com/2135376/should-you-take-food-sensitivity-test. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 Skwarecki, Beth (25 January 2018). "Don't Expect Mail-Order Tests to Diagnose Your Food Allergies". Lifehacker. Archived from the original on 6 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190607050051/https://vitals.lifehacker.com/don-t-expect-mail-order-tests-to-diagnose-your-food-all-1822393818. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Gorman, Ali (4 March 2019). "At-home tests kits to check for food sensitivity". ABC7News. https://abc7news.com/health/at-home-tests-kits-to-check-for-food-sensitivity-/5168256/. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
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