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Your DNA results are in – and they are 100% owned by a pharmaceutical manufacturer.
The American Biotechnology Company Regeneron Pharmaceuticals announced today that it was buying 23 and the bankrupt consumer company which sold DNA kits to take away. Regeneron must pay $ 256 million in cash to acquire “almost all” of the 23andm assets, including its massive biobank of approximately 15 million samples and customer genetic data.
In simple terms, genetic information for millions of people is now in the hands of a drug manufacturer seeking to exploit it to make new therapies, according to the Washington Postwhich could be a nightmare of data confidentiality in preparation.
These samples have been readily given by consumers in exchange for 23andm to decode their DNA, a process that offered people a fascinating overview of their genetic makeup and their family history. This type of biometric data is both extremely precious and widely sought after, so when 23andme went financially, his mine of genetic information quickly attracted attention as a lucrative asset. This achievement immediately aroused concerns among data confidentiality experts, who warned that a 23andme data sale meant that customer genetic information, not to mention information on close relatives of customers, were to be won to the most offering.
In his press release, Regeneron said he “intended to” honor existing confidentiality practices of 23andme. The co -founder of Regeneron and President George Yancopoulos, have published a statement emphasizing the “in -depth experience of the drug manufacturer with the management of large -scale data, having worked with employees around the world to link the disidentified DNA sequences of nearly three million participants granted to electronic health files, allowing in complete safety and medical “.
“We believe that we can help 23 and 23 to deliver and rely on its mission to help those interested in discovering their own DNA and how to improve their personal health,” continued the Yancopoulos Declaration, “while promoting Regeneron’s efforts to use large -scale genetic research to improve the way society deals and overall prevent diseases.”
That said, Regeneron is not only a research laboratory. He sells the drugs he creates and if the genomic data gleaned from the historical sale led to the creation and possible monetization of drugs, he raises questions to find out if consumers will never be remunerated for their contributions.
The chairman of the board of directors of 23andme, Mark Jensen, for his part, said in a statement that the agreement “maximizes the value of the company and allows the mission of 23andme to live, while maintaining critical protections around the confidentiality, choice and consent of customers with regard to their genetic data”.
More on 23andm: 23andme sells all your data, in the largest sale of history genomes
