"Because getting paid to allow a PR is fraud!"
"QMC may have paid MicroGenDX to allow HealthId access."
I see three possibilities.
1. Microgen allows QMC to list their test services in the HealthID app at no cost to either party since both parties can benefit.
2. Microgen needs another way to market and distribute their test services and agrees to either pay QMC a one time upfront fee to include Microgen in the App or pays QMC a fee for each Microgen test that QMC "sells" via the App.
3. The flip side is if Microgen has no trouble selling their services direct to companies, governments or individuals and wants to obtain the full value for their services, why cut in a middle man? In this case, if QMC wants to provide their App users (companies or individuals) with the convenience of selecting a particular Covid test, which has been setup to be authenticated in the App, with the test results recorded in a secure way, and then those authenticated results shared, then QMC may need to pay Microgen a fee. The more test choices QMC can include in the App, the more useable the App will be. If an App user goes to a local clinic or drive-thru test site since it is convenient and the test being performed is not included in the App, then QMC loses a sale.
If HealthID proves to be the go-to App, then QMC would be more likely to be able sign up test makers for free or demand a fee. But at this point who has the bigger need? QMC or the test maker?
Since the PR did not mention any fees (going either way) and did not indicate that “financial terms were not disclosed”, I’m inclined to go with Option 1 for the test makers, no fees.
However, if fees are going to be paid either to or by QMC, I don’t see how the PR could be considered fraud as long as QMC includes Microgen as an option in the App per the agreement.
If QMC was required to pay Microgen a fee to entice Microgen to sign the agreement and allow QMC to include Microgen in the App, I don’t see any fraud.
However, if Microgen was required to pay QMC a fee to include their services in the App and QMC took the money and failed include it in the App, then I would consider that to be fraud.
Personally I think the more likely avenue for real revenues from the App will have to come from companies that signup as users and then offer or require their employees and/or customers to use the app to return to work or enter their venues. Those companies are the ones that may be able to benefit from using the App and could be convinced that it has value and to pay for it.
At this point I don’t think revenues from the test makers should be assumed to occur.
