U.S. biotechnology firm Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has pledged to adhere to the current privacy policy of 23andMe, which allows consumer deletion of genetic data, as it entered a $256 million agreement to purchase the embattled DNA testing services company's Total Health and Research Services business, Personal Genome Service, biobank, and other assets, reports The Record.
Genome testing services will be continuously offered by 23andMe to interested consumers as part of the deal, which is expected to be finalized next quarter. "We assure 23andMe customers that we are committed to protecting the 23andMe dataset with our high standards of data privacy, security, and ethical oversight and will advance its full potential to improve human health," said Regeneron Senior Vice President Aris Baras. Despite Regeneron's pronouncements, ensuring the security of genetic data collected by 23andMe remains uncertain amid the lack of potent federal consumer data privacy protections, according to Electronic Privacy Information Center counsel Suzanne Bernstein.
Genome testing services will be continuously offered by 23andMe to interested consumers as part of the deal, which is expected to be finalized next quarter. "We assure 23andMe customers that we are committed to protecting the 23andMe dataset with our high standards of data privacy, security, and ethical oversight and will advance its full potential to improve human health," said Regeneron Senior Vice President Aris Baras. Despite Regeneron's pronouncements, ensuring the security of genetic data collected by 23andMe remains uncertain amid the lack of potent federal consumer data privacy protections, according to Electronic Privacy Information Center counsel Suzanne Bernstein.
