23andMe

When 23andMe went bankrupt in 2025, the genetic data of over 15 MILLION people — including people who have since DIED, whose DNA records remain active in the database — legally became a company ASSET to be liquidated, put up for auction to the highest bidder, with pharmaceutical companies among the interested buyers. A coalition of 27 states and the District of Columbia sued to stop it, arguing 23andMe never had the right to transfer customers' biological material without explicit new consent — but the bankruptcy court approved the sale anyway (to TTAM Research Institute, Anne Wojcicki's nonprofit). Whether genetic data can change hands in a deal like this without fresh consent depends on state law, so the protection a customer has varies with where they live. Family members of deceased customers have NO formal channel to object to how a dead relative's genetic code — which is also partly THEIR OWN genetic code — gets used going forward.

• Severity
• Evidence tierUnassigned
• Claims confirmed
• Last verified2026-08-04

Case status. Private litigation; the legal tier of its sources has not been assigned yet.

Primary source. oag.maryland.gov/News/pages/Attorney-General-Brown-Announces-Multistate-Settlement-of----Bankruptcy-Claims-Against-23andMe-Over-Genetic-Data-Breach-.aspx — Verified - primary source confirmed.

Arbitration

Not independently confirmed this pass, though the bankruptcy proceeding itself may have altered or discharged prior arbitration/dispute-resolution terms — recommend verifying current terms directly given the corporate restructuring.

Contacts

Privacy contact. Not recorded.

Legal notice. Not verified this pass. If publicly traded: SEC Form 10-K cover page gives the official corporate address; the Secretary of State business-entity search in the state of incorporation gives the registered agent, which must accept service. If private: the state registered agent is usually the only reliable route.

Mailing address. Not recorded.