Privacy Policy (2020 Version)

This Privacy Policy discloses the privacy practices for HeartValveSurgery.com, the Heart Valve Interactive Corp. (“Heart Valve Interactive“) web site (the “Site”).

We will inform you of the following in this Privacy Policy:

• What personally identifiable information of yours is collected;

• What organization is collecting the information;

• How the information is used;

• With whom the information may be shared;

• What choices are available regarding collection, use and distribution of the information;

• What kind of security procedures are in place to protect the loss, misuse or alteration of information under our control; and,

• How you can correct any inaccuracies in the information.

Please take the time to read and understand this policy so that you can understand how we use your personal information.

As used herein, “personal information” or “personally identifiable information” means information that identifies, relates to, describes, is capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked to, directly or indirectly, a particular consumer or household.

About this Privacy Policy and Using the Site

This Privacy Policy applies to the Site. References to "Heart Valve Interactive" means Heart Valve Interactive Corp., including any company affiliated with Heart Valve Interactive and any company that Heart Valve Interactive Corp. controls. Heart Valve Interactive may share information among its subsidiaries or sites that it owns or controls, but such information will be protected under the terms of this Privacy Policy.

The Site may contain links to other web sites. Once you enter another web site (whether through an advertisement, service, or content link), be aware that Heart Valve Interactive is not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage you to look for and review the privacy statements of each and every web site that you visit through a link or advertisement on the Site.

While you may use some of the features of the Site without providing personally identifiable information, many of the specific tools and services on the Site require that you create a user account or complete forms that provide certain personally identifiable information.

Depending on the Site features you choose to use, we may also collect information about your health characteristics in combination with other personally identifiable information about you (“Personal Health Information”). To the extent that any Personal Health information is PHI as defined under HIPAA, as amended, we will treat such information in accordance with HIPAA. You are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the personally identifiable information and Personal Health Information you submit to Heart Valve Interactive. Inaccurate information will affect the information you receive when using the Site and our ability to contact you as described in this Privacy Policy.

A. Cookies

We collect information about your use of the Site and your use of the web sites of selected sponsors and advertisers through the use of cookies. Cookies are text files placed on your hard disk by our web server to store your preferences.

The information collected by cookies may be used for the following purposes: (i) to help us dynamically generate advertising and content on web pages or in newsletters, (ii) to allow us to statistically monitor how many people are using the Site and selected sponsors' and advertisers' sites, (iii) to allow us to statistically monitor how many people open our emails, and (iv) to help us determine for what purposes these actions are being taken. We may use cookie information to target certain advertisements to your browser or to determine the popularity of certain content or advertisements. Cookies may also be used to facilitate a user's log-in, as navigation aids and as session timers.

Most browser software can be set to reject all cookies. Most browsers offer instructions on how to reset the browser to reject cookies in the "Help" section of the toolbar. If you reject our cookies, certain of the functions and conveniences of the Site may not work properly but you do not have to accept our cookies in order to productively use the Site. We do not use cookies to collect or store Personal Health Information about you.

B. Clickstream Data

As you use the Internet, a trail of electronic information is left at each web site you visit. This information, which is sometimes referred to as "clickstream data," can be collected and stored by a web site's server. Clickstream data can tell us the type of computer and browsing software you use and the address of the web site from which you linked to the Site. We may use clickstream data to determine how much time visitors spend on each page, how visitors navigate throughout the site and how we may tailor our web pages to better meet the needs of visitors. This information will be used to improve our site and services. Any sharing of clickstream data will be de-identified.

Personally Identifiable Information We Collect About You

We collect personally identifiable information, such as your name, email address, date of birth, and zip code, you provide to us when you register as a member of the Site, update your member profile, order products, participate in surveys, vote in polls, register a journal, or participate in a blog. If you provide us with demographic information, we will collect that as well. We also collect geo-location information about your location. We use the personally identifiable information that you provide to respond to your questions, provide you the specific services you select, send you emails about Site maintenance and updates, and inform you of significant changes to this Privacy Policy.

A. Newsletters & Emails to You

At the time of registration, book purchase and at various times as you use the Site, you may be given the option of receiving recurring informational/promotional newsletters via email from Heart Valve Interactive and/or directly from third parties. When you sign up for our email newsletters or at any time, you may be given the option to choose to receive (i.e., “opt-in”) to receiving additional promotional emails from Heart Valve Interactive or our sponsors. In order to subscribe to Heart Valve Interactive newsletters via email, we need your contact information, like name and email address. When you download materials made available to you through the Site and provide us your contact information in connection therewith, you will automatically be choosing to subscribe (i.e. “opt-in”) to our newsletters via email. We will provide an option to unsubscribe (i.e., “opt-out”) from any newsletters we may send, for example, by clicking on an "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of an email newsletter. If you experience difficulties with an automated unsubscribe service we provide, please email us at adam@heartvalvesurgery.com. We will unsubscribe you from that newsletter as soon as reasonably practical.

B. Emails You Send to Heart Valve Interactive

This Privacy Policy does not apply to content, business information, ideas, concepts or inventions that you send to Heart Valve Interactive by email. If you want to keep content, business information, ideas, concepts or inventions private or proprietary, do not send them in an email to Heart Valve Interactive.

C. Message Boards and other Public Forums

As a service to our users, the Site may feature message boards, chat rooms and other public forums where users with similar interests or medical conditions can share information and support one another or where users can post questions for experts to answer. We may also offer online discussions moderated by medical or healthcare experts. Any information shared (including personally identifiable and Personal Health Information) that you reveal in a chat room, message board, posting or online discussion is by design open to the public and is not a private, secure service. In addition, any videos, images or audio files you submit may be redistributed through the Internet and other media channels and may be viewed by the general public. You should think carefully before disclosing any personally identifiable information or Personal Health Information in any public forum. Anything you have written, posted or uploaded may be seen, disclosed to or collected by third parties and may be used by others in ways we are unable to control or predict, including to contact you for unauthorized purposes. As with any public forum on any site, this information may also appear in third-party search engines like Google, Yahoo, MSN etc. Your account name may be displayed to other users when you engage in certain activities on the Site. If you choose to add personal information to your account profile that is visible to other users (such as a profile picture, your name, gender or other details), such information may be accessible to the general public. We may use third parties to manage blogs or other services provided on the Site. When you create an account with any such third party, they may share the information you have posted as necessary for us and the third party to provide continued service and to allow you to post your blogs or use such other service. Such third party will use information as necessary to continue to implement the applicable service on the Site and as described in their privacy policy.

D. Children

We are committed to protecting the privacy of children. Neither Heart Valve Interactive nor any of its services are designed or intended to attract children under the age of 13. We do not collect personally identifiable information from any person we actually know is under the age of 13.

E. Market Research

From time to time Heart Valve Interactive, or contractors acting on its behalf, may conduct online research surveys in order to gather feedback about the Site, our sponsors and opinions on important healthcare issues, through email invitations, pop-up surveys, online focus groups and other similar methods. When participating in a survey, we may ask you to submit personally identifiable information. This personally identifiable information is used for research purposes, and is not used for sales solicitations. When a survey is sponsored by a third party, aggregate information of the survey results is reported to the sponsor. Personally identifiable information collected through market research will be used only by Heart Valve Interactive and its service providers and contractors and will not be given or sold to a third party without your consent or as otherwise permitted by this Privacy Policy. For market research surveys we will not knowingly accept survey responses from or conduct interviews with any person under the age of 18. Some surveys may provide remuneration to participants such as a small cash fee for your time or an entry into a sweepstakes for a larger prize. Each survey will disclose whether or not it is a paid survey. In addition to collecting survey responses from our members, Cookies may be used to authenticate responses or to help you pick up where you left off in a survey. If you have Cookies disabled you may not be able to participate in some studies. Cookies may be used to connect survey data with Site usage characteristics. You will be notified when we would like to use Cookies in this way and your consent will be requested for these Cookies.

Information Collected by Third Parties Not Acting on Heart Valve Interactive’s Behalf Sponsors or advertisers on the Site may use their own cookies or other online tracking technologies in the banner advertisements served on the Site and in emails, special promotions or newsletters we send you. Some advertisers use companies other than Heart Valve Interactive to serve their ads and to monitor users' responses to ads, and these companies ("Ad Servers") may also collect non-personal information through the use of online tracking technologies on the Site. In certain situations, information collection may be facilitated by momentarily directing your browser to the web site of an Ad Server or other third party acting on behalf of the sponsor, partner, or advertiser before redirecting your browser to its selected destination (e.g., back to the Site to show the ad, or to the advertiser's website); this redirection process will not be apparent to you.

We do not control these third parties' use of cookies or tracking technologies, or how they manage the non-personal information they gather through them. You should review the privacy policies of other sites you visit or link to from the Site to understand how these other sites use cookies and how they use the information they collect on their own sites. Certain Ad Servers allow you to prevent them from collecting data through the use of cookies. In order to do so, you must opt-out of such data collection with each individual site.

Disclosure of Your Information

Except as described in this Privacy Policy or as specifically agreed to by you, Heart Valve Interactive will not disclose any personally identifiable information or Personal Health Information it gathers from you on the Site. We may release personally identifiable information or Personal Health Information to third parties: (1) to comply with valid legal requirements such as a law, regulation, search warrant, subpoena or court order; or (2) in special cases, such as in response to a physical threat to you or others, to protect property or defend or assert legal rights. We may also share your personal information in order to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding possible illegal activities or fraud; to protect the safety and security of other users; or to prevent a violation of our Terms of Service. . In addition, we may disclose personally identifiable information as described below.

A. Disclosure to Heart Valve Interactive Contractors

Heart Valve Interactive contractors may sometimes have limited access to your personally identifiable information in the course of providing products or services to Heart Valve Interactive. These contractors could include vendors and suppliers that provide us with technology, services, and/or content for the operation and maintenance of the Site. Unless you have opted-out of receiving emails and newsletters from Heart Valve Interactive, these contractors also may have access to your email address to send newsletters or special promotions to you on our behalf or to send emails to you for purposes such as conducting market research on our behalf. Access to your personally identifiable information by these contractors is limited to the information reasonably necessary for the contractor to perform its limited function for Heart Valve Interactive.

B. Disclosure to Third Parties Providing Services and Sponsorships

Heart Valve Interactive may share your personally identifiable information with third parties that provide services to Heart Valve Interactive related to the Site, including, without limitation, verification services, or that provide support for services available on or through the Site. In addition, Heart Valve Interactive may share your personally identifiable information with third parties sponsoring services or events available on or through the Site.

C. Disclosure to Third Party Contractor Web Sites

Certain content and services offered to you through the Site may be provided by web sites hosted and operated by a company other than Heart Valve Interactive ("Third Party Contractor Web Sites"). Heart Valve Interactive will not disclose your personally identifiable information to these Third Party Contractor Web Sites without your consent, but you should be aware that any information you disclose once you access these other web sites is not subject to this Privacy Policy. Heart Valve Interactive does not endorse and is not responsible for the privacy practices of these Third Party Contractor Web Sites. You should review the privacy policy posted on Third Party Contractor Web Sites to understand how that Third Party Contractor Web Site collects and uses your personally identifiable information. Heart Valve Interactive will make an effort to make it obvious to you when you leave the Site and enter a Third Party Contractor Web Site. Heart Valve Interactive may also provide links to sites provided by Third Party Contractor Web Sites that have business arrangements with Heart Valve Interactive to pay commissions based on sales of products or services generated through Heart Valve Interactive.

D. Disclosure to Linked Sites

In addition to the Third Party Contractor Web Sites that you may access as described above, for your convenience the Site may contain links to Third Party Web Sites operated by companies that are not affiliated with the Site and that do not have contracts to provide content or services through the Site. These links may be found in advertisements, referenced within content, or placed beside the names or logos of sponsors. Except as otherwise set forth in this Privacy Policy, Heart Valve Interactive does not disclose your personally identifiable information to these Third Party Web Sites without obtaining your consent. Heart Valve Interactive does not endorse and is not responsible for the privacy practices of these sites. If you choose to link to one of these Third Party Web Sites, you should review the privacy policy posted on this other web site to understand how that Third Party Web Site collects and uses your personally identifiable information.

E. Medical Providers and Featured Physicians

If you request it, we may share your information with Featured Physicians (as defined in our Terms of Use) and other medical providers (who may be practitioners, hospitals, medical device companies, pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, or other entities in the medical field).

F. Related Companies and M&A Transactions

We may share your personal information with companies that are affiliated with us (that is, that control, are controlled by, or are under common control with us). In addition, if we sell all or part of its business or make a sale or transfer of assets or is otherwise involved in a merger or business transfer, we may transfer your personal information to a third party as part of that transaction, including at the negotiation stage.

Disclosure of Aggregate Information

Heart Valve Interactive may use and share de-identified information in its discretion. For example, we might inform third parties regarding the number of users of the Site and the activities they conduct while on the Site. We might also inform third parties that may or may not be an advertiser on the Site of statistical information such as "30% of our users live in the southern United States". Depending on the circumstances, we may or may not charge third parties for this aggregate information.

How Heart Valve Interactive Handles Privacy and Security Internally

Here are some of the security procedures that Heart Valve Interactive has put in place that are designed to protect your privacy:

• Requiring both a personal username (log-in name) and a password in order for users to access their personally identifiable information or Personal Health Information.

• Utilizing Secure Socket Layer encryption in transmitting personally identifiable information to our servers. In order to take advantage of encryption technology, you must have an Internet browser which supports 128-bit encryption.

• Closely monitoring the limited number of Heart Valve Interactive employees who have potential access to your personally identifiable information.

• Backing-up our systems to protect the integrity of your personally identifiable information and Personal Health Information.

• HeartValveSurgery.com has received HIPAA-compliance attestation for over 50 HIPAA Security Rule Administrative, Physical and Technical Safeguards. Learn more here.

Despite Heart Valve Interactive's efforts to protect your personally identifiable information and Personal Health Information, there is always some risk that an unauthorized third party may find a way around our security systems or that transmissions of your information over the Internet may be intercepted.

Updating Your Information and Contacting Heart Valve Interactive

A. Updating Your Personally Identifiable Information

If we collect and store self-reported data for certain Site features, we will provide you with a method for correcting, updating or reviewing such information. We will store user submitted data (personally identifiable information and/or Personal Health Information) in an active database for a certain period of time and may later transfer such data to an inactive back-up medium.

B. Removing your Personal Information

If you have a complaint or problem, please email adam@heartvalvesurgery.com or send us a letter via U.S. mail to: Heart Valve Interactive Corp., 2785 Pacific Coast Hwy, Suite 517, Torrance, CA 90505. Our customer service department will forward your complaint to the appropriate internal Heart Valve Interactive department for a response or resolution. If you want to (1) delete your personally identifiable information from our systems, (2) update the personally identifiable information that you have provided to us, or (3) change your preferences with respect to marketing contacts or other activities, please email adam@heartvalvesurgery.com.

C. Limitations on Removing or Changing Information

Upon your request, we will delete your personally identifiable information or Personal Health Information from our active databases and where feasible from our back-up media. You should be aware that it is not technologically possible to remove each and every record of the information you have provided to Heart Valve Interactive from our servers.

D. Special Notification for California Residents

Site Users who reside in California and have provided their personally identifiable information to Heart Valve Interactive may request information about our disclosures of certain categories of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. Such requests must be submitted via email to adam@heartvalvesurgery.com or by letter via U.S. mail to: Heart Valve Interactive Corp., 2785 Pacific Coast Hwy, Suite 517, Torrance, CA 90505. Within thirty (30) days of receiving such a request, we will provide a list of the categories of personal information disclosed to third parties for third-party direct marketing purposes during the immediately preceding calendar year, along with the names and addresses of these third parties. This request may be made no more than once per calendar year. We reserve our right not to respond to requests submitted other than to the address specified in this paragraph.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy is effective as of January 6, 2020. We will inform you of a material change to the Privacy Policy, which means a change that expands the permissible uses or disclosures of personally identifiable information allowed by the prior version of the Privacy Policy. Your continued use of the Site will indicate acceptance of the changes. You may of course choose to Opt-out of continuing to use the Site. Please exit the Site immediately if you do not agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy or any revised policy. We will inform you if a material change in the Privacy Policy is made that involves the use of your Personal Health Information, and your express opt-in authorization will be requested. If you choose to not accept the new privacy policy, then the current privacy policy conditions will remain in effect, so long as the respective functionality remains available. Heart Valve Interactive reserves the right to discontinue or limit functionality in all its products and services.

Content Use & Modifications

All users of HeartValveSurgery.com can read a post and use the content. However, the Moderator of HeartValveSurgery may at its sole discretion modify or erase content posted at the website.

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Page last updated: September 18, 2020