Nanox panics, deletes, then doctors a photo, and ... deletes again

On May 22, Nanox announced on its results call that it had 

 

entered into a three-year distribution agreement with a local partner in Morocco, Vital Tech SARL.  Under the distribution agreement, Vital Tech will purchase, deploy, and operate an estimated 270 Nanox.ARC units over three years for clinical use.  The execution is subject to acceptance test of the first unit and regulatory clearances. We have already received an import license. We have sent the first unit and our deployment team is on the ground as we speak...  The system is already at the hospital as we speak, and we have a team on the ground, which are going to operate it, and it will start to generate, of course, the images.

The announcement made no sense, as Nanox is supposed to enter into MSaaS service agreements for its fake ARC units and retain ownership, not sell the fake ARCs (more on those fake service agreements later).

But what followed made even less sense.  On June 14, Nanox tweeted and posted on linkedin this:

Nanox.ARC Medical Imaging System was deployed in CHU university hospital in Marrakech, which is a major healthcare provider in the Marrakech-Safi region and the entire southern region of the Kingdom, enhancing our presence in Africa and bridging the equity gap in medical imaging access. The system is currently operational and has initiated the process of scanning human patients. To learn more about Nanox.ARC visit our website: nanox.vision/nanox-arc#main #healthcareequity #Nanox #NanoxARC #medicalimaging #Radiology #vitaltech

and attached these photos:

On the next day, Nanox removed the above photos (and edited out the reference to "CHU" in the social media posts) and replaced the photos this doctored gem:

If you take a closer look at the reflections on the table, you will realize that Nanox digitally removed the logos of CHU Marrakech and Vital Tech from the wall, hoping no one will notice.  Within a day, Nanox gave up and finally deleted those social media posts, images and text altogether.

I am sure this is not the end of this story, but the fact that Nanox is so quick to doctor a photo makes another fact, the fact Nanox made at least two fraudulent submissions to the FDA at at least two fraudulent 20-F filings with the SEC, somewhat less incredible.

In the mean time, Vital Tech has this to say about the ARC:

Nanox forgot to tell its "distributor" that the fake ARC is not novel (Nanox argued in its fraudulent submission to the FDA that the device is substantially equivalent to an existing device, that is, not novel). Or that it uses a single x-ray source, just like "traditional single-source CT."  Or that it has nothing to do, otherwise, with a CT (the fake ARC is classified as a "System, X-Ray, Tomographic" product, instead of as a "System, X-Ray, Tomography, Computed").  Or that it does not have an innovative digital MEMS (no such thing as MEMs either) technology, which is quite easy to verify.  Or that it does not offer "high-quality imaging at a fraction of the cost."  Or that it can be used only adjunctive to a conventional x-ray (that is, an extra conventional x-ray machine is required).  Or that it needs a huge metal box in the room.  The "distributor," on the other hand, forgot to include any service or device cost.

And the question arises again:  which body part is being scanned with MSK tomosynthesis in this fake image and why?

Update June 20, 2023:  Vital Tech is, of course, fake (although some Chinese no-name ultrasound maker claims it sold a few devices through it).  Its website contact form does not submit anything, and the person behind it did not even to put a burner phone number or a fake address. 

Update June 26, 2023:  Mr. Samir Saliba put a phone number on the website: +212707761285.  Also, the link to the misleading (and misbranding) description of the fake Nanox ARC has moved.