Congress has questions about 23andMe bankruptcy

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce leaders are investigating the potential impact of 23andMe’s bankruptcy on customer data.

Republicans Representatives Brett Guthrie, Gus Bilirakis, and Gary Palmer sent a letter to 23andMe’s interim CEO Joe Selsavage, raising concerns about the handling of customer data in the event of a sale.

Some customers have reported difficulties deleting their data from the 23andMe website, and the letter highlights the lack of HIPAA protections for direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies like 23andMe.

The representatives express concerns about the potential compromise of sensitive customer information due to the absence of clear regulations and laws governing genetic privacy.

Following a $30 million settlement in a data breach lawsuit last year, 23andMe filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in March, with co-founder and CEO Anne Wojcicki stepping down to pursue purchasing the company.