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Sheri Ackert worried she might have a new tumor. Steve Hammons stopped taking his blood-thinning medication. Kimberly Toy emptied the pasta and sweets from her cupboards and said: “I can’t believe this happened.” What they have in common are dubious test results from Theranos Inc. A review of regulatory records and interviews with patients shows the Palo Alto, Calif., company didn’t just burn investors who bought into its promise to revolutionize the world of blood testing. (Weaver, 10/20)

There were good feelings all around when Abbott Laboratories said in February it would pay $5.8 billion for Alere Inc., a Waltham company that had emerged as a global leader in “point-of-care” medical tests performed at doctors’ offices, pharmacies, and patients’ homes. Eight months later, the upbeat tone and cordiality have given way to acrimony, and the deal itself appears to be on life support. As Alere shareholders prepare to gather at the Westin Waltham hotel Friday to vote on the acquisition, the parties are caught up in a welter of lawsuits and federal probes that could take months or more to untangle. (Weisman, 10/21)