The state of precision medicine in the US and Germany sets the frame for this interview. Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Christoph Borner is the Director of the International Master’s Program of Biomedical Sciences between the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina, and the University of Freiburg (Double Master Degree), Director of the Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine of the Excellence Initiative and professor at the Institute of Molecular Medicine, both at the University of Freiburg. He discusses the role of start-ups in the field of precision medicine, as well as its possible effects on the existing healthcare system. Furthermore he explains what risks patients should be aware of in order to protect their health data. These Q & A have been published in a longer version within the newsletter of the German Center for Research and Innovation, New York, July 2018.