Genetic Privacy Crisis Reincarnated

A Month Later, the Plot Thickens: 23andMe Is Reborn Under New Ownership

23andMe’s $6 Billion Fall Was Only the Beginning. Now, its DNA database has a new owner (Regeneron Pharmaceuticals), and the stakes look even higher.

Image designed by me image editing tools

Our DNA Data Was Auctioned Off and a Biotech Giant Won the Deal

Exactly one month ago, 22 April 2025, I wrote a story titled When DNA Dreams Turn into a Data Privacy Disaster not as a dramatic headline, but as a realistic label for what unfolded when 23andMe collapsed under the pressure of a massive data breach, lost consumer trust, and eventually filed for bankruptcy.

23andMe — and other DNA services — gave me something rare in health tools: a clear mirror. For the first time, I could see patterns in my body that I had overlooked for years. Besides, I was genuinely excited to discover that my DNA originates from seven distinct regions around the world.

Before publishing my piece today, I wanted it to be reviewed by a qualified expert so that my story is accurate and presents an ethical editorial commentary. The editor, a spiritually oriented biotechnologist friend, said…