Your Genetic Data is for Sale
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Pharmaceutical giant Regeneron will acquire 23andMe in a court-supervised bankruptcy sale, gaining control of one of the world’s largest consumer genetic databases. Experts warn that the company’s privacy policies allow data to be transferred during a sale and more than 15 million users’ DNA and health information to be treated as a corporate asset. J.B. Branch, Big Tech accountability advocate for Public Citizen, released the following statement:
“This is a genetic data fire sale. It should set off alarm bells for anyone who’s ever spit in a tube and sent their DNA off to Silicon Valley. One of the largest personal DNA databases on Earth is being sold off in bankruptcy court, and Americans have virtually no control over how their most sensitive health information will be used, stored, or exploited going forward.
“Your DNA and your family health history should not be a corporate asset. Yet the day has come where a consumer’s genetic blueprint can be packaged, auctioned, and monetized.
“Of course, Regeneron will promise to ‘respect consent’ and ‘uphold privacy policies.’ Those are bare minimal legal requirements. This is exactly what happens when Congress fails to pass strong digital privacy laws. Genetic data is being treated like a disposable business asset. It’s unethical and dangerous.
“Congress must wake up. We need federal laws that lock down sensitive health and genetic data with ironclad protections. Until it acts, Big Pharma and Big Tech will keep playing hot potato with your DNA.”