Luminary Genetics PGT-A Embryo Genetic Testing Class Action Lawsuit Filed in California
Lawsuit accuses genetic test maker of misleading claims
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (July 10, 2025) – A group of fertility patients has filed a federal class action lawsuit against Luminary Genetics (formerly NextGen Genetics), the company behind a test widely used during IVF treatment, alleging that the test is unreliable and may have ended their chances of having a child.
The lawsuit (here), filed Thursday in U.S. District Court, claims that the Silicon Valley-based firm aggressively marketed its genetic screening test as a proven, highly accurate way to select the best embryos during the IVF process. But, in reality, the suit says, the test doesn’t deliver what it promises—and the company knew it.
“Patients were led to believe this test would boost their chances of a healthy pregnancy. Instead, it may have done the exact opposite,” said Allison S. Freeman, an attorney with Constable Law, the Florida-based firm representing the plaintiffs. “We believe this test has caused real harm, both emotionally and financially.”
A Staggering Price, With No Clear Benefit
The test, called Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy, or PGT-A, is sold as an add-on during in vitro fertilization, costing patients thousands of dollars out of pocket.
The test is designed to analyze embryos and identify which ones are most likely to result in a successful pregnancy. But the lawsuit cites scientific studies showing that PGT-A is less accurate than claimed and may mislabel embryos, potentially leading patients to make important decisions regarding their embryos and treatment based upon inaccurate information.
36-year-old plaintiff Sandra Gamlin of Norfolk, Virginia discarded several embryos that tested as abnormal, ultimately only transferring one normal embryo. The transfer resulted in a pregnancy, but it ended in a miscarriage at seven weeks.
“They’ve falsely put hope into us who have been on this journey for a long time,” Gamlin said. “They tell us that it’s a foolproof thing, that we’re all going to get our babies after we get normal embryos.”
Growing Use and Mounting Concerns
Use of PGT-A has skyrocketed in recent years, with PGT-A tests developed by various companies now used in roughly 40% of IVF cycles. But despite its popularity, the legal complaint says the test is not backed by solid science, and experts have raised red flags about its accuracy and the risk it poses to hopeful parents.
Patients suing Luminary Genetics say they did not know about the misleading claims and lack of validated testing. They claim they would never have relied on the test if they had known the truth.
“They say, ‘Just do this genetic testing and it will be the answer.’ But it’s not,” said 40-year-old plaintiff DeJanne Johnson of San Diego.
Johnson has undergone several rounds of IVF in the past six years, with PGT-A testing performed on eight embryos. She said her fertility clinic discarded several embryos after they came back as abnormal, and none of her embryos that tested as normal have resulted in a successful pregnancy.
“I wish they never tested my embryos,” Johnson said.
Constable Law, and co-counsel law firms Justice Law Collaborative and Berger Montague, have recently filed multiple cases against those selling PGT-A testing, with leadership by Freeman, who became aware of false and misleading claims related to the sale of PGT-A testing after her own experience with IVF.
Seeking Accountability and Answers
The plaintiffs are asking the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to certify a nationwide class of patients who paid for PGT-A testing from Luminary Genetics. The lawsuit seeks financial compensation, as well as accountability from the company.
“This isn’t just about money,” said Freeman. “It’s about protecting future patients and getting answers for past patients who trusted this test to help them build their families.”
Lawsuit Details
The case—Johnson, et.al. v. Luminary Genetics f/k/a NextGen Genetics, LLC and Luminary Life Sciences (case number 3:25-cv-01629-WQH-BLM)—was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and includes claims of fraud, false advertising, and other consumer protection violations.
Plaintiffs are seeking damages and restitution for patients who paid for PGT-A testing marketed by Santa Clara, California-based Luminary Genetics, which was known as NextGen Genetics until an acquisition by Luminary Genetics in 2023.
Plaintiffs are represented by Shanon J. Carson of Berger Montague, Allison S. Freeman of Constable Law PA, and Paula S. Bliss of Justice Law Collaborative LLC.
Source: LegalReader.com