Our commitment
Groundbreaking
science, built on trust.
We believe that the most important discoveries can only happen when participants fully trust the people holding their data. Here's exactly how we honor your choices and protect your data.
How we work
How we protect you, every step of the way.
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Independent ethical oversight
Every research study is reviewed and approved by an independent, nonprofit Institutional Review Board (IRB) accredited by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP). No study begins without IRB approval. No exceptions.
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Your choice, always
Clear, easy-to-understand consent documents mean you know exactly what you're agreeing to before you make a choice. You can withdraw your consent at any time from your Account Settings. We follow the Common Rule, a federal framework for protecting people who participate in research.
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Privacy & data protection
We never share your genetic information without your explicit consent. Personal identifiers are removed before any research analysis. All analysis happens in secure, access-controlled environments. Our infrastructure meets rigorous global data privacy standards, certified to ISO 27001, 27701, and 27018.
What you consent to and what you don’t
Participation is
entirely your choice.
Independent review. Explicit opt-in. Change your decisions anytime.
- See consent document
Choice 01
23andMe Research Consent
Allows 23andMe to use your genetic + health information for broad research purposes, share aggregated data with qualified collaborators and re-contact you about future research.
- See consent document
Choice 02
Individual Level Data Sharing Consent
Allows 23andMe to share your de-identified individual-level data with qualified research collaborators, under strict data use agreements.
- See consent document
Choice 03
Biobanking Consent
Allows 23andMe to store and re-analyze your physical DNA sample for future research. Opting out means your sample is securely destroyed.
Changing consent
Your consent choices are always accessible from your 23andMe account — no need to contact support.
Objective 3rd Party
Ethical Oversight
23andMe Research Institute works with an independent, nonprofit, AAHRPP*-accredited Institutional Review Board — for oversight of all research studies. Every research protocol and consent process undergoes mandatory IRB review before we begin.
*Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs
What is an IRB?
An Institutional Review Board (IRB) is an independent committee of scientists, ethicists and community members that reviews research studies to ensure they are ethical, safe and respect participant rights. The IRB can require changes or stop a study. 23andMe’s IRB is external and impartial — not our own staff.
Standard data protection
The Common Rule
The Common Rule is a federal mandate (45 CFR 46) that sets standards for protecting people who participate in research. It governs informed consent, IRB oversight and participant protections. 23andMe has chosen to apply Common Rule standards to all of our research initiatives — including research that isn’t federally funded.
De-identification by default
All personal identifiers are removed from your data before any analysis begins. De-identified individual-level data is only accessible to qualified third parties under a separate explicit consent, through a secure research environment.
Secure computing infrastructure
All analysis occurs in strict access-controlled computing environments. Partner researchers work in isolated workspaces. All infrastructure meets global data privacy benchmarks.
Frequently asked questions
Details for researchers
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IRB-approved + consented cohorts
Every participant in our dataset has explicitly opted in through IRB-approved consent flows. Our researchers and partners only access consented and de-identified datasets
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Automated compliance
Real-time withdrawal processing means our dataset stays clean and compliant. When a participant withdraws, automation handles deletion — no lag, no manual process risk.
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Publication transparency
We provide access to full summary data from published 23andMe research. Our commitment to open science means no black-box results — methods and findings are reviewable.
Questions we haven't answered?
Our privacy team and participant support team are available to help - whether you're a member with questions about your data or a partner reviewing our compliance posture.