LA Sues Company Allegedly Selling Unapproved Coronavirus At-Home Test Kits

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- The Los Angeles City Attorney is suing a company for allegedly offering unauthorized coronavirus at-home tests.

Genetic testing and in-vitro fertilization testing company Yikon Genomics -- which does business under the name Yikon Global -- and its CEO Brandon Richard Hensinger, were listed as defendants, according to the suit.

"In this public health emergency, consumers require and under California law are entitled to accurate, reliable, and truthful information about COVID-19, including its testing,'' the suit states. "The health, and even the lives, of California consumers depend on it.''

The city is seeking a court order that directs the company to stop marketing and selling the test kits plus $2,500 in fines for each alleged violation.

To date, the Food and Drug Administration has not approved any coronavirus tests for at-home testing. The agency has warned consumers against at-home testing, the suit states.

A Yikon Global representative could not be immediately reached for comment.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)