The U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is looking at the national security and privacy risks associated with the sale of genetic testing firm 23andMe. The committee hearing showed the lawmakers’ worries regarding the probable misuse of Americans’ DNA records if foreign adversaries get possession of them.
The hearing was prompted by the bankruptcy-related purchase of 23andMe. At first, biotech company Regeneron Pharmaceuticals had announced its purchase of 23andMe for $256 million. Then, Anne Wojcicki, 23andMe’s co-founder, questioned the sale and asked the bankruptcy court to open the auction again. She asserted that 23andMe unfairly excluded her nonprofit group, TTAM Research Institute, from the auction because of a $250 million bid cap enforced considering financial viability issues.
Wojcicki claimed TTAM was ready to bid $280 million but was unable to do so before the end of the auction. On June 4, 2025, the court decided to open the bidding again, and TTAM’s bid was $305 million. Regeneron still submitted a counter-bid, but it must be higher than TTAM’s bid by $10 million. The concluding decision about the buyer is still pending.
Regeneron has mentioned in court files that it will comply with all privacy rules and, together with regulators, assures the public that the sensitive genetic database from 23andMe will be secured with the new ownership. These assurances were given after a major data breach in 2023, which compromised the personal genetic information of almost 7 million clients.
During the hearing, Congress grilled temporary CEO Joseph Selsavage and ex-CEO Wojcicki concerning the company’s security procedures and previous management of client information. Chairman James Comer (R-KY) brought up serious issues concerning the possibility of U.S. genetic information falling into the wrong hands, specifically mentioning the dangers from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). He stated that information could be abused for espionage or biological warfare. Comer stressed the importance of tougher protections and laws to avoid any misuse in the future.
Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN) noted that 23andMe got a $10 million investment from Chinese company WuXi Healthcare Ventures, which is allegedly linked to China’s military and the CCP. Wojcicki reported the investment, yet stated she did not know about those links at the time.
Selsavage assured Congress during the bankruptcy hearing that genetic information will not be offered to foreign countries, such as Russia, China, or North Korea. Nonetheless, he was questioned about the company’s transparency and data deletion procedures. Clients have reported issues with the removal of their data, and Selsavage stated that approximately 1.9 million of 15 million clients have since asked for data deletion.
On the day of the hearing, a group of 28 State Attorneys General have likewise filed a lawsuit in government bankruptcy court, hoping to stop the sale. They believe 23andMe does not have the right to send customers’ genetic information and biological samples without direct permission from every client. The lawsuit states that, up to June 2022, the privacy policy of 23andMe clearly disallowed such sales with no client permission.
Although health information managed by hospitals or insurance companies is covered by HIPAA laws, genetic information obtained by consumer-facing firms like 23andMe is not presently covered by HIPAA. This legal gray area has prompted demands for a legislative update to seal the loophole and implement stricter guidelines to consumer genetic information. Thus far, no reform has been passed.