Randox
{{Short description|UK diagnostics company}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Randox Laboratories Ltd.
| logo = Randox 2024 logo.png
| caption =
| type = Private limited company
| genre =
| fate =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| foundation = 1982
| founder = Peter FitzGerald
| defunct =
| location = {{nowrap|Crumlin, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK}}
| locations = 145 countries
| area_served =
| key_people = Peter FitzGerald (owner)
| industry =
| products =
| services =
| revenue = {{Increase}} {{GBP|619,000,000|long=no}} (2021)
| operating_income =
| net_income = {{Increase}} {{GBP|275,000,000|long=no}} (2021)
| aum =
| assets = {{Decrease}} {{GBP|47,700,000|long=no}} (2018)
| equity =
| owner =
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| homepage = {{URL|https://www.randox.com}}
| footnotes =
| intl =
}}
Randox is a Northern Irish health and toxicology company in the in vitro diagnostics industry headquartered in Crumlin, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, owned by Peter FitzGerald. The company develops diagnostic solutions for hospitals, clinical, research and molecular labs, food testing, forensic toxicology, veterinary labs and life sciences. It develops, manufactures and markets reagents and equipment for laboratory medicine, with a distribution network of 145 countries. Randox is the biggest polymerase chain reaction testing provider in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.[http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/index/media-centre/news-departments/news-deti/news-deti-march-archive-2011/news-deti-180311-foster-announces-242.htm 18 March 2011 – Foster announces 242 new jobs at Randox Laboratories | Northern Ireland Executive]. Northernireland.gov.uk (18 March 2011).[http://www.ivdtechnology.com/blog/ivdt-insight/proteome-sciences-licenses-stroke-biomarkers-randox Proteome Sciences Licenses Stroke Biomarkers to Randox] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130126203736/http://www.ivdtechnology.com/blog/ivdt-insight/proteome-sciences-licenses-stroke-biomarkers-randox |date=26 January 2013 }}. IVD Technology (5 April 2012).{{Cite web|url=https://www.randox.com/heathrow-airport-covid19/|title = Randox launches COVID-19 testing lab at Heathrow Airport|date = 27 January 2021}} Randox received three contracts by the Department of Health and Social Care without having to compete for a tender.
In 2020, Randox was awarded nearly £500 million by the government of the United Kingdom to provide private-sector COVID-19 testing at the cost of about £49 per kit.{{cite news |last1=Garside |first1=Juliette |last2=Smith |first2=Joseph |title=Tory-linked firm involved in testing failure given new £347m Covid contract |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/04/tory-linked-firm-involved-in-testing-failure-awarded-new-347m-covid-contract |work=The Guardian|location=London |date=4 November 2020}}
History
Randox was established in 1982 by its owner, Peter FitzGerald, in Crumlin, Northern Ireland.[http://www.idaireland.com/news-media/featured-news/the-friday-interview-pete/ The Friday Interview – Peter Fitz-Gerald, Randox Laboratories – IDA Ireland Investment Promotion Agency] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130331063252/http://www.idaireland.com/news-media/featured-news/the-friday-interview-pete/ |date=31 March 2013 }}. Idaireland.com.{{cite news |last1=Lawrence |first1=Felicity |title=Lobbying for 'naked' bacon: how the Owen Paterson scandal began |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/nov/05/lobbying-for-naked-bacon-how-the-owen-paterson-scandal-began |access-date=7 November 2021 |work=The Guardian|location=London |date=5 November 2021}} Beginning with a team of six employees,{{citation needed|date=November 2021}} by 2020 the company had 2,700 employees.{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Charlie |title=Inside Randox, the Northern Irish firm at the heart of UK's Covid testing effort |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/health-pharma/inside-randox-the-northern-irish-firm-at-the-heart-of-uk-s-covid-testing-effort-1.4426601 |access-date=17 November 2021 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=4 December 2020}} In 2014 it invested €25 million in developing a site in Dungloe, County Donegal, aiming to create more than 470 jobs in research, engineering and life sciences by 2020.{{cite news |last1=Newenham |first1=Pamela |title=Randox Teoranta to invest €25m in Co Donegal |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/business/health-pharma/randox-teoranta-to-invest-25m-in-co-donegal-1.1970127 |access-date=17 November 2021 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=20 October 2014}} It moved into the Randox Science Park, a 45-acre R&D and manufacturing site housed on the former Massereene Barracks in 2019.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}} Randox Health has sponsored the Grand National at Aintree racecourse since 2017.{{cite news |last1=Wood |first1=Greg |title=Is Randox a suitable sponsor for Grand National after Paterson sleaze row? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/nov/05/is-randox-a-suitable-sponsor-for-grand-national-after-owen-paterson-sleaze-row-horse-racing |access-date=17 November 2021 |work=The Guardian|location=London |date=5 November 2021}} The company was restructured in March 2020 to be ultimately held by Randox (IOM) Ltd based in the Isle of Man. The company stated this was "to support any future transfer of company ownership to future generations"{{cite news |last1=Davies |first1=Rob |title=Randox: how one-man-band operation became a Covid testing giant |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/nov/09/randox-one-man-band-operation-became-a-covid-testing-giant |access-date=17 November 2021 |work=The Guardian|location=London |date=9 November 2021}} but The Times noted that the move could help the company avoid paying millions in tax.{{cite news |last1=Morgan-Bentley |first1=Paul |last2=Billy |first2=Kenber |title=Army had to help Owen Paterson firm Randox with lucrative Covid contract |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcare/article/army-called-in-to-help-owen-paterson-firm-randox-on-covid-contract-728qcq5bp |access-date=17 November 2021 |date=12 November 2021}} In April 2022, the company purchased Boston House in Fitzroy Square, London for £29m from the entrepreneur Touker Suleyman and was expected to spend a further £15m to convert the property into The Randox Institute which will be an education centre for personalised healthcare.
= Data tampering and toxicology fraud =
In 2014 Randox acquired a laboratory in Manchester from Trimega Laboratories which had gone into administration.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-27238803|title=Randox expands toxicology service by buying Manchester lab|date=2014-05-01|publisher=BBC News|access-date=2018-06-18}} In February 2017, two Randox employees were arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice amid allegations of data tampering within Randox Testing Services, used by many Police Forces in England and Wales for forensic toxicology.{{cite news |last1=Parveen |first1=Nazia |title=Manchester lab's drug tests may have been manipulated |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/feb/19/manchester-lab-randox-drink-drug-tests-toxicology-may-have-been-manipulated |access-date=23 November 2021 |work=The Guardian|location=London |date=19 February 2017}} As of November 2017, around 50 criminal prosecutions for driving offences had been dropped in what BBC home affairs correspondent, Danny Shaw, described as "the biggest forensic science scandal in the UK for decades".{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-42081900|title=Killer drug-drivers' conviction quash bid|date=2017-11-22|publisher=BBC News|access-date=2018-01-27}} Police forces have begun reviewing over 10,000 criminal cases that may be affected by the alleged data manipulation, including sexual and violent crimes.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/nov/21/forensics-data-manipulation-may-have-affected-10000-cases|title=Police review 10,000 cases in forensics data 'manipulation' inquiry|last1=Devlin|first1=Hannah|last2=Dodd|first2=Vikram|date=2017-11-21|website=The Guardian|location=London|access-date=2018-01-27}} In 2021, after 5 years of investigation, the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) announced that up to 27,000 cases could be impacted.{{cite news |last1=Keeling |first1=Neal |title=Breakthrough for GMP in five-year probe of suspected rogue forensic scientists |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/gmp-win-court-ruling-help-20833379 |access-date=11 April 2024 |work=Manchester Evening News |date=16 June 2021}}
Randox will pay £2.5 million to fund the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) retesting program.{{cite news |last1=Trager2018-12-13T08:24:00+00:00 |first1=Rebecca |title=UK forensic lab misconduct results in dozens of convictions being overturned |url=https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/uk-forensic-lab-misconduct-results-in-dozens-of-convictions-being-overturned/3009893.article |access-date=17 April 2024 |work=Chemistry World |date=13 December 2018}}
=Lobbying government=
{{see also|Owen Paterson#Lobbying and breach of Commons advocacy rules}}
In March 2019 it was reported that former cabinet minister and Conservative MP Owen Paterson, who was a consultant to Randox, had helped to lobby the government to seek contracts for them. This violated rules stating that an MP may not lobby on behalf of a paying client.{{cite news |last1=Evans |first1=Robb |last2=Pegg |first2=David |last3=Lawrence |first3=Felicity |title=MP Owen Paterson lobbied government for firm he worked for |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/07/mp-owen-paterson-lobbied-government-for-firm-he-worked-for |accessdate=3 September 2019 |work=The Guardian|location=London |date=8 April 2019}} Paterson communicated with the Food Standards Agency three times in relation to testing for antibiotics in milk and the Department for International Development four times in relation to blood testing.{{cite news |title=Owen Paterson: Minister Stephen Barclay expresses regret over vote |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-59213255 |access-date=17 November 2021 |publisher=BBC News |date=9 November 2021}}
= Employment =
Several legal actions were taken by many employees against the company.
An employee filed a lawsuit against Randox after being discriminated against because of his weight.{{cite news |title=Tribunal rules obese employees in Northern Ireland can get disability rights |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-31360757 |access-date=17 November 2021 |publisher=BBC News |date=10 February 2015}} In addition, its former international business manager was also fired because after being praised for his efforts in India and for a presentation on the business plan for Randox. The tribunal awarded him over £70,000 for Randox's unfair dismissal.{{Cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18006222|title=Tribunal criticises Randox over unfair dismissal|publisher=BBC News|date=9 May 2012}} With the support of Unite legal services, a female Randox employee sued Randox after a dispute over maternity pay. The court favoured the employee and granted her compensation.http://www.thompsonstradeunionlaw.co.uk/news/unite-legal-services-maternity-pay.html {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}
In April 2021, Randox posted notices in its Donegal Gaeltacht facility forbidding employees from speaking any language other than English in the workplace. The company receives significant funding from Údarás na Gaeltachta, which is charged with industrial development in Irish-speaking areas. When challenged, the company withdrew the notices, but the matter received significant attention in the Irish media.{{Cite news|url=https://tuairisc.ie/english-must-be-spoken-at-all-times-failure-to-do-so-is-unacceptable-polasai-teanga-comhlacht-gaeltachta/|title=English must be spoken at all times. Failure to do so is unacceptable – polasaí teanga comhlacht Gaeltachta|language=Irish}}{{cite news |last1=Cross |first1=Gareth |title=Randox apology after telling Donegal staff to speak English |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/republic-of-ireland/randox-apology-after-telling-donegal-staff-to-speak-english-40327267.html |website=belfasttelegraph |access-date=9 November 2021}}
=Advertising=
In 2024, Randox took down ads for its Type 1 diabetes genetic risk assessment assay amid concerns that it was using fear to sell the test.{{cite journal |last1=Mahase |first1=E |title=Type 1 diabetes: Randox removes adverts after claims that it was using fear to sell genetic test. |journal=BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) |date=25 March 2024 |volume=384 |pages=q744 |doi=10.1136/bmj.q744 |pmid=38527741 |url=https://www.bmj.com/content/384/bmj.q744.full |access-date=17 April 2024|url-access=subscription }}
References
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Category:Biotechnology companies of the United Kingdom
Category:Research support companies
Category:Manufacturing companies of Northern Ireland
Category:Biotechnology companies established in 1982
Category:1982 establishments in Northern Ireland