Complaint Review: LabCorp

I ordered myself a mercury blood test, as I was doubtful my doctor would, and I suspected mercury toxicity from an OTC medicine. After I had my blood drawn, the phlebotomist placed a label that printed from the little machine, that read 'arsenic.' It was a very plain label, and the font was quite large for something that goes on a blood collection tube. I cannot remember the color of the top of the tube, nor what else was written on the tube, as the arsenic label stood out to me the most. I did ask the phlebotomist why the label said arsenic, and she looked puzzled, showed me the paperwork, shrugged her shoulders and assured me I was getting a mercury test. I guess I assumed I could trust her and the lab, so didn't inquire any more.

Then, I got my lab results back. They read, "None Detected." I wouldn't have contacted the lab if I didn't remember that label on the tube. I thought, what if they tested for arsenic and not mercury? Labs, computers, people all make mistakes. I contacted LabCorp online, received a response about 5 days later at 11:30pm on a Sunday. I thought this was odd, but immediately wrote them back the onfo they requested to look up my order. I immediately received a response and the customer service person said I was tested for mercury and not arsenic. I responded back (this occurred at about 1am) with my question about the label. She again responded with what I now know to be the most ridiculous answer. She said that the tubes are labeled with the preservatives within them, and she believes that includes arsenic. I sort of gave up for a couple of weeks, as I saw where this was going.

I finally decided to call the lab, and simply asked what kind of additives are in their mercury blood collection tubes. I was met with the silence you get when asking a question that someone has to dig a tiny bit to find out. Two different people during that phone call informed me that the tubes contained EDTA. Well, I do know what that is, and that is a more logical answer! I then told the person on the phone that I needed to speak to a supervisor because another one of their customer service people told me that arsenic is in the blood collection tubes when I first contacted the lab with concerns about the results of my blood test. Well, the conversation turned into me restating my case over and over, with them telling me that there is no way that they can make a mistake. They said that the lab order is connected to the number on the tube, and that's all they look at. They do not place the name of the test on the tube, nor would they test a sample based on the name of the test on the tube. SO, all that matters is the req.#. I asked, "Then WHY would a phlebotomist put that label on there in the first place?" They had no answer. I then asked, "Why would your customer service person lie or make up an answer to my question?" They had no explanation. They just kept repeating, in other words, that it is impossible for their lab to make a mistake. I have never heard of such a thing. I have heard about people receiving terrible news from their doctor, only to have them retract it because of a "mix-up at the lab."  I have never heard of anyone, anywhere claiming that they never make mistakes.

I told them I paid for the test, and now cannot trust it. It was useless. They told me that I had to contact the 3rd party company that sells the tests, Request A Test, if I wanted a refund. I did so, and got the same run around from someone who told me that there was nothing she could do as I already had the test done. She said I could get another test at 10% off. WHY would I do that if I didn't trust the lab with the first one? On top of that, mercury may not be detected anyway now, as there is a time limit on these things. I was also told that the supervisor from LabCorp would look into the false answer I received from the customer service employee, and she'd get back to me. I forwarded her the email that proved the person lied. Yeah, I'm sure I'll hear back.

I have tested my urine, and the medicine, which both contain mercury. If my kidneys are filtering the mercury out of my blood and it is being excreted in my urine, then at least some mercury should show up in a blood test. I would even accept an answer about how blood levels do not always show up, but instead I got total lies.  This is LabCorp, one of 2 main labs that doctors all over my region use. What's going on?????