Stanford Innovation Lab
Theranos Whistleblower Erika Cheung on Incentivizing Ethics
Jun 1, 2020
Theranos whistleblower Erika Cheung discusses motivations for joining Theranos, challenges of speaking out, commitment to patient care, and importance of incorporating ethics into entrepreneurship.
26:13
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Quick takeaways
- The importance of a proactive approach to ethics in startups to prevent issues from escalating and the need for tools and frameworks to establish an ethical culture.
- The need to prioritize ethics in entrepreneurship education and incorporate experiential learning to develop a personal understanding of ethical complexities.
Deep dives
Erika's Experience at Theranos: Recognizing Failures and Escalating Concerns
Erika Jung and Tyler Schulz were the whistleblowers in the Theranos saga, which exposed the extreme 'fake it till you make it' mentality in Silicon Valley. Erika, an R&D scientist, joined Theranos attracted by its innovative approach to applying research in microfluidics and nanotechnologies. However, she soon noticed regular failures in the blood testing technology and escalated her concerns to Theranos COO, but her concerns were dismissed. Eventually, she quit, spoke off the record to a reporter and reported her concerns to the relevant authorities. Despite doubt and internal secrecy at Theranos, Erika persisted with her concerns.
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