23andMe have featured in the headlines in recent months, following a data breach in October 2023, and the $30 million pay-out to settle the subsequent lawsuits. In October 2024, all seven independent members of the 23andMe board resigned en masse; a response to CEO Anne Wojcicki’s plan to take 23andMe private.

These issues raised concerns over the company's future and now the company has filed for bankruptcy and CEO Anne Wojcicki has resigned. She will, however, continue to serve as a member of the board.

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Is this the end of 23andMe?

According to the company's Chair, Mark Jensen, the move is intended to allow a "court-supervised sale process… to maximize the value of the business." So a sale of the company is still possible, and US$35 million of financing has been secured to support ongoing operations.

CFO Joe Selsavage has stepped in as interim CEO, and, in a post on social media platform 'X', Anne Wojcicki stated that she intends to make another bid for the company during the bankruptcy process.

In the 23andMe press release, Mark Jensen adds: "We believe in the value of our people and our assets and hope that this process allows our mission of helping people access, understand and benefit from the human genome to live on for the benefit of customers and patients."

What would a sale mean for customers' DNA data?

The 23andMe press release states that "Any buyer will be required to comply with applicable law with respect to the treatment of customer data and any transaction will be subject to customary regulatory approvals."

Mark Jensen also added: "we are committed to continuing to safeguard customer data and being transparent about the management of user data going forward, and data privacy will be an important consideration in any potential transaction."

Should you delete your DNA from 23andMe?

Days before the news of the bankruptcy was released, California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a statement advising Californian customers to delete their genetic data.

In the statement, Bonta said: "Given 23andMe’s reported financial distress, I remind Californians to consider invoking their rights and directing 23andMe to delete their data and destroy any samples of genetic material held by the company.”

His advice is running counter to the prevailing sentiment among many in the genetic genealogy community at the moment. Family Tree magazine’s DNA advisor Karen Evans, advises caution - suggesting that people read the official information from 23andMe (https://investors.23andme.com/news-releases/news-release-details/23andme-initiates-voluntary-chapter-11-process-maximize), and to keep abreast of developments, so as to be able to make informed decisions, but to “try to avoid being swayed by media hype”. Karen Evans shared that she has no plans to delete her own 23andMe data.

DNA detective and genetic genealogy expert Michelle Leonard explains: “23andMe has certainly had more challenges of late, but my advice is to hold tight and wait and see what happens with regard to the sale. There is no need to panic or to rush to delete. I think many people may regret doing that down the line as deleting your DNA data from a company is permanent.” Michelle Leonard adds, “Of course, if they do feel uncomfortable and they want to do that then that’s their right, but I wouldn’t do it on the basis of what is happening right now. That advice may change, but I’m still comfortable leaving my DNA at 23andMe and any new owner will be bound by the terms and conditions we have agreed to.”

What to do next?

Scientist and genetic genealogist Dr Sophie Kay writes, “Alas, there is no single ‘right answer’ to this: even amongst professional genealogists you will encounter some who are keeping their kits in place at 23andMe, some who are as yet undecided, and others who have decided to delete theirs.

“Informed consent is paramount whenever you take a DNA test or consent to your DNA kit being kept on a genetic database, and only the individual themselves can decide whether the potential risks of storing their kit (e.g. data breaches, unauthorised use of databases by law enforcement, change of company owner), outweigh the benefits which come from what that DNA kit can achieve for you in your research (e.g. identifying birth family, solving genealogical problems).

“23andMe have stated that ‘any buyer of 23andMe will be required to comply with applicable law with respect to the treatment of customer data’ so you may want to factor this into your decision making.

“Broadly speaking, your options are as follows:

“If you choose to keep your 23andMe kit for now, it’s worth downloading a copy of your raw data (see below). This is also a good opportunity to go through the Settings part of your account and check you’re still happy with the permitted uses you’ve listed for your kit in the Research and Product Consents section. Users wishing to take a cautious approach can request that the company destroys the physical sample originally submitted for testing - note that this step is irreversible once actioned and you’ll find it in the Preferences part of your account settings.

“If you choose to delete your 23andMe kit, ensure that you have acquired all the information you want to from your account – including downloading a copy of your raw data as described below. Take copies of any messages you’ve exchanged with your DNA matches, and note down the details of relevant genetic matches too. Once you are satisfied you’ve obtained all the information you wish to, you can delete the kit, but be aware this step is NOT reversible. If you wanted to rejoin the database in the future (if this is possible), you’d most likely need to pay to take a fresh DNA test – and that won’t be an option for deceased individuals whose deleted kits you might have managed.

“Grab Your Raw DNA Readout: Whatever you decide to do, download a copy of your ‘raw data’ (i.e. the file which contains a readout of the As, Cs, Ts and Gs identified when your DNA was sequenced). Follow the instructions at https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/212196868-Accessing-Your-Raw-Genetic-Data to do this."

Some general thoughts from Dr Sophie Kay

"This is far from the first time a DNA testing company has changed hands (e.g. Ancestry was acquired by Blackstone Group in 2020) so the idea of an ownership change for a genetic database is not without precedent. That said, 23andMe occupies a rather different sector of the market: its products have emphasised medical insights compared to those of its more genealogically-focused competitors. I think this presents a more open field in terms of the direction a future incarnation of the company might take under a new owner. Former CEO of 23andMe, Anne Wojcicki, is said to have stepped down so that she could make an independent bid to take the company private, so it looks likely that the company and its genetic database will survive in some form.

"Research in genetic genealogy is always a community endeavour: not only does it require many users around the world to upload their DNA to databases so that comparisons can be carried out, it also rests upon the confidence we have in the companies running those databases. As family historians, we have to wrestle with the difficult question of where we wish to place our trust and although a bankruptcy and potential sale or takeover of a DNA testing company can be stressful to contemplate, it’s best to take the proper time to evaluate our options before deciding on a course of action."

The opinions shared above were made in the light of information available on 26 March. This blog post was last updated 27 March 2025. This is fast-moving case, so we advise 23andMe customers to keep abreast of the news so that they can continue to make informed decisions.