Attorney General Bailey Secures Privacy Protections In Sale Of 23andMe To Nonprofit Entity

July 2, 2025 4:20 pm

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Today, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced that as part of a multistate coalition, his office has secured substantial privacy protections for consumers as part of the approved sale of 23andMe to a nonprofit medical research organization.

“I am proud Missouri helped lead the charge to prevent 23andMe from auctioning off Missourians’ private genetic data to the highest bidder,” said Attorney General Bailey. “Thanks to our efforts, this sale is now subject to strong privacy protections that will safeguard consumer information and ensure accountability going forward.”

On June 27, 2025, the Eastern District of Missouri Bankruptcy Court approved the $305 million sale of 23andMe to the newly formed TTAM Research Institute, created by 23andMe founder and former CEO, Anne Wojcicki. In 2023, 23andMe filed for bankruptcy after suffering a massive cybersecurity breach and financial decline. In response, Missouri and other states filed objections in bankruptcy court to ensure consumer genetic information was not sold or misused during the proceedings. The sale is a result of a coalition of states, including Missouri, raising serious concerns about the potential sale or misuse of sensitive consumer genetic data during the company’s bankruptcy proceedings.

Earlier this year, Attorney General Bailey joined this coalition in formally objecting to the sale of consumer data as part of 23andMe’s bankruptcy. As a direct result of that challenge, TTAM agreed to robust new conditions built into the sale agreement, including:

• No transfer of consumer DNA – All genetic data will remain in place and remains protected under the current privacy policies and augmented cybersecurity protocols.
• Consumer control over data – Consumers will continue to have the right to permanently delete their data at any time, with additional enforcement mechanisms in place to verify deletion. This includes oversight by the Missouri Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team.
• No future resale without full privacy compliance – Any future sale of the genetic data must include the full adoption of TTAM’s privacy commitments and compliance with all applicable state and federal laws.
• Prohibition on sharing with foreign adversaries – TTAM is barred from licensing, disclosing, or sharing customer data with any individual or entity connected to Countries of Concern or Covered Persons as defined by federal law.
• Creation of a Consumer Privacy Advisory Board – TTAM will establish a three-person advisory board with expertise in consumer privacy, bioethics, and cybersecurity.
• Ongoing state oversight – TTAM must provide reports on its privacy practices to the Missouri Attorney General upon request.

In addition to these consumer protections, the sale includes several important benefits to Missouri residents:

• Support for data breach victims – The $305 million sale price will help fund claims made by the seven million individuals affected by 23andMe’s 2023 data breach.
• Continued scientific research – TTAM’s nonprofit status will support partnerships with academic and public institutions, which will advance important health research for consumers who have opted in.
• No disruption to service – With the same leadership team in place, customers can expect stability in their service and data usage.

“Our office will continue to monitor this transition closely,” added Attorney General Bailey. “That includes enforcement of consumers’ rights to delete their data and ongoing compliance with Missouri’s consumer protection laws.”

Consumers will receive direct notice of the ownership change, along with instructions on how to permanently delete their data.

For more information on consumer protection regarding 23andMe, please visit our consumer alert here.