Biden Orders to Halt Foreign Data Collection; Congress Targets Chinese Biotech
February 29, 2024
President Joe Biden issued an executive order to prevent “countries of concern,” notably China and related companies, from gathering sensitive American personal data, including health and genomic details. This move supports bipartisan legislative efforts to restrict foreign companies from accessing federal funds, aiming to protect Americans’ health data. The House and Senate are proposing bills to block companies like WuXi AppTec, BGI, MGI, and Complete Genomics from federal grants and contracts, citing national security concerns.
The executive order, without naming specific firms, emphasizes the risk associated with the potential misuse of de-identified health data. It also directs federal agencies to evaluate the regulation of transactions involving various human data. Amidst these developments, WuXi AppTec defends its stance, denying any national security threat, while facing declining shares and skepticism in the U.S. market alongside MGI. This collective effort marks a significant stance against foreign adversaries exploiting sensitive U.S. health data.
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[Source: Endpoints, February 29th, 2024]
