The demise of 23andMe illustrates the vulnerable state of Americans' health data, as med tech companies vacuum up more personal information with little regulatory oversight.
Why it matters: Fitness trackers, wellness apps, genetic tests and other direct-to-consumer tools that capture personal health information aren't subject to federal health data privacy laws. That could open the door to fraud or discrimination.
President Trump on Monday nominated Susan Monarez, the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to be the agency's full-time leader.
Why it matters: Monarez would be the first CDC director-designate to face Senate confirmation under a law Congress passed in 2023.
Why it matters: That financial distress has sparked a big question for some of the more than 15 million customers who have used the company's services: What does a sale mean for the genetic data 23andMe stores?
Genetics testing company 23andMe has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and launched a sale process, just weeks after rejecting a takeover offer from co-founder and CEO Anne Wojcicki.
Why it matters: The writing was on the wall when 23andMe's independent directors quit last fall, but it's still stunning to witness the dysfunctional destruction of the rare biotech unicorn to become a household name.
The Trump administration wants to spend more federal dollars replicating medical research. A key question will be which studies get repeated and, with limited resources, at what expense.
Why it matters: Many findings can't be replicated— a problem scientists say needs to be addressed.But it could also consume increasingly scarce resources as the administration cuts spending and freezes federal grants.
