If you opt into the Research program, 23andMe may share your de-identified genetic and health data with third-party researchers, including pharmaceutical and biotech companies, to conduct studies on disease and drug development.
This analysis describes what 23andMe's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
The provision establishes the operational scope of data utilization beyond individual health reporting, creating a revenue model dependent on research data licensing. This authorization distinguishes 23andMe's business model from ancestry-focused services and structures user data as a resource for pharmaceutical development pipelines.
The updated privacy statement no longer explicitly directs users to a separate Medical Record Privacy Notice for telehealth services or explains that medical information collected through telehealth is governed by different privacy rules. Previously, the policy stated that users choosing telehealth services coordinated through 23andMe would find healthcare privacy protections described in a separate notice. That reference is now absent from the main privacy statement. Users seeking privacy information specific to telehealth services will need to determine independently whether a separate notice exists or contact 23andMe directly using the provided contact information.
View change record →The updated privacy statement no longer explicitly discloses a separate Medical Record Privacy Notice that previously described how medical information is used, disclosed, and maintained for telehealth services. Users who receive telehealth services coordinated through 23andMe may now lack clear notice of which privacy framework governs their medical records, since the reference to that parallel notice has been removed. The organizational scope change from '23andMe Research Institute' to '23andMe' narrows the explicitly named entities responsible for the policy, though operational impact depends on how these entities actually function.
View change record →Consumers who opt into Research may have their genetic data used in commercial pharmaceutical research, with potential financial benefits accruing to 23andMe and its partners rather than to the consumer. This consent is separate from the main service and can be withdrawn at any time through account settings.
How other platforms handle this
We may share individual user information with companies, organizations or individuals outside of Google when we have parental consent.
We may share personal information with third-party service providers and partners who support our business operations, including identity verification providers, payment processors, analytics providers, marketing partners, and blockchain analytics companies.
We may share information about you and your transactions with Card Networks and our financial services partners. By accepting this agreement, you authorize Stripe to share your information with these entities for purposes including facilitating your use of the Services, complying with applicable law...
Monitoring
23andMe has changed this document before.
Receive same-day alerts, structured change summaries, and monitoring for up to 10 platforms.
The Research consent program implicates CCPA's 'sale' and 'sharing' definitions, GDPR Article 9 special category data requirements, and FTC oversight of data broker-adjacent practices; compliance teams should evaluate whether research data sharing constitutes a 'sale' under applicable state privacy laws.
Full compliance analysis
Regulatory citations, enforcement risk, and due diligence action items.
Free: track 1 platform + weekly digest. Watcher: 10 platforms + same-day alerts. No credit card required.
ConductAtlas detected a major restructuring of Meta’s privacy policy that removed detailed consumer rights disclosures and relocated them to separate documents.
Your genetic data may be transferred to a new owner as a business asset. Here is what the Terms of Service actually say and what you can do right now.
Professional Governance Intelligence
Need to monitor specific governance provisions?
Professional includes provision-level monitoring, governance timelines, regulatory mapping, and audit-ready analysis.
Built from archived source documents, structured governance mappings, and historical version tracking.
The provision establishes the operational scope of data utilization beyond individual health reporting, creating a revenue model dependent on research data licensing. This authorization distinguishes 23andMe's business model from ancestry-focused services and structures user data as a resource for pharmaceutical development pipelines.
Consumers who opt into Research may have their genetic data used in commercial pharmaceutical research, with potential financial benefits accruing to 23andMe and its partners rather than to the consumer. This consent is separate from the main service and can be withdrawn at any time through account settings.
No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by 23andMe.