Overview

• Twenty-seven states and the District of Columbia petitioned a Missouri bankruptcy court on June 10 to halt the transfer of 23andMe’s genetic data without users’ informed permission.
• 23andMe entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March after layoffs and revenue challenges hampered its direct-to-consumer DNA testing business.
• In May, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals agreed to acquire 23andMe’s assets for $256 million and committed to uphold current consent agreements and privacy policies.
• A court-appointed independent privacy ombudsman is evaluating how the proposed sale could affect the confidentiality of approximately 15 million users’ biological samples and medical records.
• State attorneys general warn that unauthorized sale of DNA information risks future breaches, misuse or applications beyond customers’ original expectations.