NEW YORK – The UK's Competition and Markets Authority said on Friday it has opened an investigation into a company following complaints that it did not provide COVID-19 test results in a timely manner or at all.
According to the CMA, Bradford, UK-based Expert Medicals has also failed to respond to customer complaints and refused to issue refunds to customers. The company is one of the largest providers of PCR-based travel tests for COVID-19, the CMA added, and has been the subject of "a high number of complaints" to consumer advocacy group Citizens Advice and to the CMA.
Expert Medicals has been removed from the UK's list of test providers who claim they meet minimum government standards for COVID-19 testing.
Additionally, the CMA has told another 19 testing firms to provide more pricing information or possibly face other action.
"The CMA is concerned that the 19 firms continue to falsely advertise tests at very low prices when they are either not available at that price or include hidden conditions, such as where the tests must be collected from," the CMA said in a statement.
The action follows a crackdown last month by the UK government on firms that provide PCR-based COVID-19 testing for possible price gouging and substandard services.