A U.S. House committee on Tuesday asked 23andMe’s cofounder to testify next month as it launched an investigation into the risk of genetic data being transferred to potential buyers amid the DNA testing company’s bankruptcy.
James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky and the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to 23andMe’s Anne Wojcicki, seeking her testimony on May 6 as well as documents and information from the genomics firm.
The genomics firm filed for bankruptcy protection last month after struggling with weak demand for its ancestry testing kits.
Wojcicki made multiple failed takeover bids for the company and resigned as its CEO in March. She is still a board member of the company.
The bankruptcy filing has raised concerns about where the genetic data it collected would go. The company has said the bankruptcy process will not affect how it stores, manages, or protects customer data.
23andMe collects saliva samples to provide insights into ancestry and health risks.
There were concerns the data on 23AndMe’s more than 15 million customers, if not protected sufficiently, could be accessed by countries such as China, or used for assessing higher insurance premiums, among other purposes, Comer said.
“We need to ensure the safety of Americans’ data,” Comer said in the letter.
The company was also the target of a hack in 2023, when personal data of nearly seven million customers was exposed over five months.
The company has also made at least 30 deals with pharmaceutical companies such as GSK, giving them access to its database. Most of its agreements remain undisclosed.
23andMe said in March any buyer will be required to comply with applicable laws about how customer data is treated. (This story has been refiled to correct the day of the week from “Monday” to “Tuesday” in paragraph 1)
—Siddhi Mahatole, Reuters
Inicia sesión para agregar comentarios
Otros mensajes en este grupo.
Google wants to give people access to its Gemini AI assistant with the blink of an eye: The company has struck a partnership with eyeglasses makers Warby Parker and Gentle Monster to make AI smart
Right-leaning comedy podcasts are a gateway to conspiracy theories and misogynistic content, a new study has found.
While these podcasts may seem harmless at first—often discussing sport
U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan for a “Golden Dome”
Russians seeking an online window to the outside world are finding their options rapidly diminishing as Vladimir Putin’s government strips app stores of VPNs.
Last week, Roskomnadzor, Ru
Google has built a massive business selling ads that appear around search results: In its 2024 10-K filin
A viral clip of a woman scrolling on a completely clear phone with no user interface briefly confused—and amused—the internet. But the truth turned out to be far more literal than most expected.
