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Help with the four documents

A plain-language guide to what you’re signing.

Four documents sounds like a lot. Each one exists for a specific legal reason, and we’ve broken every one down in plain English below. No jargon, no surprises.

The short version

You’re not signing your DNA away. You’re locking in your control over it.

Storing human DNA is regulated under federal and state law (FDA, HIPAA, GDPR, state genetic privacy statutes like Illinois GIPA and Florida 760.40). That’s why four documents, not one.

Together, they do four things: tell you how your data is protected, set the rules of the service, record exactly what you consent to, and bind the storage facility alongside you and MySpawn. You keep ownership. You can withdraw anytime, free of charge.

Each document, in plain English

Tap “Read full document” for the legal version. Below is what it actually means.

Tap to accept
01

Privacy Policy

What it really is: our promise about your data. It tells you what we collect, how we use it, who can see it, and what rights you have to access, correct, or delete it.

What this covers

  • What personal data we collect and why
  • How we store and protect it (encryption, access controls)
  • Your rights under GDPR, CCPA, and state genetic privacy laws
  • How Genvault LLC (our bio banking storage partner) handles your sample data

What it does NOT do

  • Give us permission to sell your data (we never sell it)
  • Let us share with third parties without your consent
  • Allow us to use your DNA for research without explicit opt-in
Read full document
Tap to accept
02

Terms & Conditions

What it really is: the master service contract. It defines what MySpawn is, what it isn’t, who owns what, and how we and Genvault LLC (our bio banking storage partner) work together to deliver the service.

What this confirms

  • MySpawn is a preservation service only
  • You retain full legal ownership of your sample
  • You can withdraw and request destruction anytime, free
  • How disputes, liability, and refunds work

What we do NOT offer

  • Cloning, genetic engineering, or DNA editing
  • Reproductive services, IVF, or embryo creation
  • Medical diagnosis or health screening
Read full document
Form · ~2 min
03

Informed Consent

What it really is: a short 17-question form where you tell us exactly what we’re allowed to do with your DNA, your data, and your wishes after your lifetime. This is the legal basis for the service. Without it, we can’t lawfully store anything.

The four sections

  • Foundational: what you’re consenting to store
  • Posthumous: your wishes after your lifetime
  • Understandings: confirming what the service is
  • Storage: how your sample is handled

Good to know

  • Your answers form the legal basis of what we can do
  • You can update or withdraw any consent at any time
  • Every change is timestamped and saved to your record
Preview the consent form
Sign · ~1 min
04

Storage Services Agreement

What it really is: the tri-party master agreement between you, MySpawn, and Genvault LLC (our bio banking storage partner). It binds all three parties so your sample is protected even if anything ever changes on the MySpawn side. Requires your electronic signature.

What this locks in

  • Storage-only nature of the service across all three parties
  • Accepted samples: hair (with root) and nail clippings only
  • Chain-of-custody rules from receipt to long-term storage
  • Your right to request certified destruction anytime

What it does NOT allow

  • Samples to be physically returned to you (only destroyed)
  • The storage partner to use your sample for anything else
  • Transfer of your sample without your written consent
Preview the agreement

Common questions at this step

The things people pause to ask before signing. Tap to expand.

Why do I have to accept all four? Can I skip one?▾

No, and here’s why: each document serves a different legal function. The Privacy Policy and Terms cover the company and your data. The Informed Consent is the legal basis under genetic privacy law. The Storage Services Agreement binds the actual facility holding your sample.

Skip one and we can’t lawfully proceed. Together they’re what make this whole thing legitimate, not a leap of faith.

Who is the “Biobanking Storage Partner”?▾

It’s Genvault LLC, the independent, ISO-certified, FDA-registered biorepository that physically receives, accessions, and stores your sample. They are a separate legal entity from MySpawn.

This separation is deliberate: MySpawn handles the user-facing side (your account, ordering, notifications), and the storage partner handles the physical side (kit dispatch, sample receipt, long-term storage). If anything ever happens to MySpawn as a business, your sample stays protected at the storage partner under the Storage Services Agreement you’re signing.

If I change my mind, can I get out?▾

Yes, at any time, free of charge. You can withdraw any consent and request certified destruction of your sample by emailing myspawn@myspawnapp.com from the address on your account.

Destruction is completed within 30 days, and you’ll receive a signed Certificate of Destruction from Genvault LLC (our bio banking storage partner).

Will my DNA ever be sold, shared, or used for research?▾

No. Your DNA and data are never sold and never shared with third parties without your explicit, opt-in consent. This is written into the Privacy Policy and the Storage Services Agreement, so it’s a binding contractual commitment.

Even research use requires a separate, opt-in consent that defaults to off. You’re never enrolled in anything by default.

Who owns my DNA once it’s stored?▾

You do, always. You retain full legal ownership of your sample at all times. MySpawn and Genvault LLC (our bio banking storage partner) are custodians, not owners. You can update your wishes, designate contacts, or withdraw entirely whenever you want.

The form is asking about “posthumous” wishes. Why?▾

Because your DNA outlives you, and the law requires us to record your wishes for what happens after your lifetime. The posthumous section of the Informed Consent covers:

  • Who, if anyone, can access your sample or vault after you’re gone
  • Whether the sample continues in storage, is transferred, or destroyed
  • Whether your designated contact can update those wishes on your behalf

You can leave any field blank or pick “decide later” if you’re not ready. You can update everything at any point.

What can the storage partner actually do with my sample?▾

Three things, full stop: receive it, store it under controlled conditions, and destroy it on your request.

They cannot test it, analyze it, share it, transfer it, or use it for any purpose other than storage. The Storage Services Agreement contractually prohibits anything else.

Is the electronic signature actually legally binding?▾

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally binding under the ESIGN Act (US federal law) and equivalent statutes in most countries. Your signature is timestamped, IP-logged, and stored as part of your permanent record. You’ll get a signed PDF copy by email immediately after.

What if I want to read everything in full before signing?▾

Good. Please do. Every document above has a “Read full document” link that opens the complete legal version in a new tab. Take your time. The checkout step will be exactly where you left it when you come back.

If anything in there is unclear, message us before signing. We’d rather answer ten questions than have you sign something you don’t fully understand.

Still unclear on something?

Email us before you sign. Real human, fast reply, no pressure to commit. We’d rather have you fully understand than rush through.

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