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Privacy Policy

Effective Date: April 2015

ABBVIE ONLINE PRIVACY POLICY

This Privacy Policy applies to any Personal Information that is collected in connection with websites provided by or on behalf of AbbVie Limited (Ireland, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, are referred to in this Privacy Policy as “AbbVie”).  For the purpose of the Data Protection Act 1988 and the Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003, the data controller is AbbVie Limited, of 14, Riverwalk, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24, D24XN32. This Privacy Policy also describes the collection of certain other (non-personal) types of information.

This Privacy Policy applies solely to websites provided by or on behalf of AbbVie that link to this Privacy Policy (referred to as "AbbVie Websites").  It does not apply to websites that do not link to this Privacy Policy, or to third-party websites to which AbbVie Websites may link. Your use of AbbVie Websites which link to this Privacy Policy is subject to this Privacy Policy and their Terms of Use.

Please read this Privacy Policy before using AbbVie Websites or submitting personal information to us. When registering for, using, or submitting Personal Information in connection with, the AbbVie Websites, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

How does this Privacy Policy define "personal information"?

  1. "Personal Information" means “Personal Data” as defined in the Data Protection Act 1988 and the Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003,  ; essentially, this means information that identifies you or could reasonably be used to identify you and which is submitted to and/or collected by or on behalf of AbbVie and is maintained in an accessible form. Examples of Personal Information include your name, your postal address, your e-mail address and telephone number.
  2. “Sensitive Personal Information” means “Sensitive Personal Data” as defined in the Data Protection Act 1988 and the Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003, essentially, this means Personal Information including, but not limited to, your ethnic origin or your physical or mental health or condition.

AbbVie takes your privacy very seriously

AbbVie commonly uses third-party service providers (“AbbVie service providers”) to help us deliver high-quality services; for example, AbbVie may hire an AbbVie service provider to run AbbVie Websites. This may mean that AbbVie service providers collect Personal Information about you on AbbVie’s behalf - for example, if you sign up to an AbbVie Website, you may need to provide an e-mail address; this will be handled by the AbbVie service provider operating that website.

Because AbbVie takes your privacy very seriously, it is our usual company policy to not ask AbbVie service providers to share your Personal Information with AbbVie unless the information is first de-identified (so we cannot see your name), or if AbbVie has a good reason to have direct access to your Personal Information (for example when required by law, or to ensure your safety and well-being or that of others).  Ensuring that AbbVie service providers do not needlessly share that information with AbbVie helps us protect your privacy; this is part of our “privacy by design” philosophy.

Because AbbVie has primary responsibility to you for AbbVie service providers’ collection and handling of Personal Information about you on our behalf, this Privacy Policy reserves to AbbVie certain rights, and sets out its commitments to you, even though AbbVie will usually delegate that collection and handling of your Personal Information to a trusted AbbVie service provider.  We ensure that AbbVie service providers collecting and handling Personal Information on our behalf have agreed with us to do so only in accordance with our instructions, this Privacy Policy, and applicable law.

What types of information are being collected?

The following types of Personal Information about you may be collected:

  • Personal Information You Submit: This is Personal Information that you enter into data fields on AbbVie Websites or otherwise provide. For example, you may submit your name, postal address, e-mail address, and/or other information in order to receive information about various subjects, register for programmes, contact customer service, or respond to surveys. To protect your privacy, you should not provide any information that is not specifically requested.
  • Personal Information from Other Sources: This is Personal Information about you that is collected from other persons, such as your healthcare provider (e.g. your doctor or nurse), if they also use AbbVie Websites in connection with your care. AbbVie may also receive your Personal Information if you use any of the other websites we operate or the other services we provide. We would be happy to provide you with more information about what information we hold about you - for more details, please see below.
  • Passive Collection of Technical and Web Browsing Information: AbbVie Websites may collect information about your visits to AbbVie Websites without you actively submitting such information. Please see our Cookie Policy. 

Is “sensitive” Personal Information collected?

  • Certain Personal Information may be collected, such as health-related information, which may be “Sensitive Personal Information” as described above. AbbVie will take additional measures as required by local law for the collection, protection and processing of such information. In addition, individual AbbVie subsidiaries or affiliates may take measures to address local custom or social expectation about such information.

How will Personal Information that I have provided be used?

Your Personal Information (whether collected from you or from other sources) may be used to:

  • Carry out our obligations arising from any contracts entered into between you and AbbVie and to provide you with the information, products and services that you request from AbbVie;
  • Notify you about changes to those services;
  • Ensure that content from AbbVie Websites is presented in the most effective manner for you and for your computer;
  • Offer you the opportunity to receive notices regarding AbbVie’s services, to invite you to participate in surveys about our services, on the condition you have confirmed we may contact you for such purposes; and
  • Provide you with informational and marketing materials related to the use of your prescribed AbbVie products, clinical trial and market research opportunities, and other services by any means of communication, including by text, e-mail, direct mail, and/or telephone. If you are an existing user of the AbbVie Websites, we will only contact you by electronic means (e-mail or SMS) with information about goods and services similar to those which were the subject of a previous sale or negotiations of a sale to you. If you are a new user, and where we permit selected third parties to use your data, we (or they) will contact you by electronic means only if you have consented to this. If you do not want us to use your data in this way, or to pass your details on to third parties for marketing purposes, please let us know.

Passively-collected technical and web browsing information may be used:

  • to administer AbbVie Websites and for internal operations, including troubleshooting, data analysis, testing, research, statistical and survey purposes;
  • to improve AbbVie Websites and ensure that content is presented in the most effective manner for you and for your computer;
  • to allow you to participate in interactive features of our services, when you choose to do so; and
  • as part of efforts to keep AbbVie Websites safe and secure.

AbbVie’s nominated service provider may also de-identify your Personal Information and use de-identified data to help us improve, develop, and evaluate system performance, products, services, materials, programs, and treatment related to your condition or treatment, as well as for health economic outcomes research and market research. For example, we may use de-identified data to “survey user interaction with certain features of AbbVie Websites, and find out how (un-identified) users generally feel about those features”; “find out whether certain types of patients discontinue use of certain treatments, and why”; “provide healthcare organisations with real-world metrics about how a treatment or service is generally used by patients”.

Will Personal Information I provide on an AbbVie Website be combined with other Personal Information about me?

  • Personal Information that you provide on an AbbVie Website may be combined or consolidated with Personal Information of one or more customers who use AbbVie Websites. In particular, such information may be de-identified and used to help us improve AbbVie Websites and AbbVie products, to enhance research activities, and to facilitate other business functions.

What choices do I have about how my Personal Information is used or collected?

  • You may always limit the amount and type of Personal Information that is collected from you by choosing not to enter any Personal Information into forms or data fields on AbbVie Websites. Some of our online services can only be provided to you if you provide appropriate Personal Information. Other parts of AbbVie Websites may ask whether you wish to opt into or opt out of our contact lists for services that may be of interest to you.
    In addition, you may have rights under applicable law to access, rectify and/or block the processing of Personal Information about you. Please feel free to contact us using the contact details set out in this Privacy Policy.

Is my Personal Information shared with third parties?

AbbVie may disclose your Personal Information in the following circumstances.

  • Affiliates. AbbVie may share your Personal Information with any of our affiliates, which means our subsidiaries, our ultimate holding company and its subsidiaries.
  • Third Party Business Partners. AbbVie may share your Personal Information with third parties with whom AbbVie is jointly marketing a product or service or jointly conducting a programme or activity.
  • AbbVie Service Providers. As detailed above, AbbVie may use AbbVie service providers to carry out business activities for us. If AbbVie service providers collect Personal Information about you on AbbVie’s behalf or if your Personal Information is provided to AbbVie service providers as part of our business activities, it is our practice to require AbbVie service providers to keep your Personal Information confidential and to use your Personal Information only to perform functions for AbbVie.
  • Other Parties When Required by Law or as Necessary to Protect Our Services. AbbVie or AbbVie service providers may disclose your Personal Information (i) to respond to legal process or a request for information or cooperation from government or similar authorities, (ii) when otherwise required by law, (iii) to prevent fraud or to enforce or apply our Terms of Use and other agreements; or (iv) to protect the rights, property, or safety of AbbVie, or any of our respective affiliates, business partners, customers, employees or others.• Other Parties In Connection With A Corporate Transaction. AbbVie may disclose your Personal Information to the prospective (or actual) seller or buyer of any business or assets, such as in connection with a merger or in the event of a bankruptcy reorganization or liquidation. If AbbVie, or substantially all of its assets, are acquired by a third party, Personal Information held by it about its customers will be one of the transferred assets.
  • Other Parties With Your Consent. In addition to the disclosures described in this Privacy Policy, we may share information about you with third parties when you consent to or request such sharing.
  • Aggregated and Non-Personal Information. AbbVie may de-identify your Personal Information and use the de-identified data or disclose it to any third parties to help us or them improve, develop, and evaluate system performance, products, services, materials, programs, and also treatments related to your condition or treatment, as well as for health economic outcomes research and market research.

How is my Personal Information kept safe?

  • AbbVie has procedures, processes and contracts in-place to help to ensure your Personal Information is secure and handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
  • It is AbbVie’s practice to secure each web page that collects Personal Information; however, the confidentiality of Personal Information transmitted over the Internet cannot be guaranteed. We urge you to exercise caution when transmitting Personal Information over the Internet, especially Personal Information related to your health. AbbVie cannot guarantee that unauthorised third parties will not gain access to your Personal Information; therefore, when submitting Personal Information to AbbVie Websites, you must weigh both the benefits and the risks.
  • In addition, AbbVie Websites covered by this Privacy Policy may link to a Website that is not controlled by AbbVie or subject to an AbbVie privacy policy; you should check the privacy policies of such third-party Websites before submitting Personal Information to them.

Is Personal Information transferred to different jurisdictions?

  • AbbVie and third parties with whom AbbVie shares data may collect, transfer, store and process your Personal Information outside of your country of residence, consistent with this Privacy Policy. The data protection and other laws of countries to which your Personal Information may be transferred might not be as comprehensive as those in your country. 

How does AbbVie protect the privacy of children?

  • AbbVie does not knowingly collect or use any Personal Information from children (we define "children" as minors younger than 18) on AbbVie Websites. If you are a parent and become aware that your child has provided us with information, please contact us using one of the methods specified below, and we will work with you to address this issue.

How may I correct Personal Information or delete it from current records?

  • You may request that we remove your Personal Information from our current customer records or that we amend your Personal Information. Please notify us of your wishes by contacting us in one of the ways specified below. For our record keeping or other legitimate business purposes, we may retain certain Personal Information about you. We may also be required by law to maintain certain records which may contain Personal Information.

How can I contact AbbVie?

  • If you have questions about the use, amendment, or deletion of your Personal Information, or if you would like to opt out of future communications from an AbbVie business or a particular AbbVie programme, please contact us by clicking on the "Contact” link on the Website you are visiting. Alternatively, you may send a letter to the following address: Attn: Data Protection Point of Contact, AbbVie Limited, Block B, Liffey Valley Office Campus, Quarryvale, County Dublin.
  • In all communications to AbbVie, please include the e-mail address used for registration (if applicable), the Website address or the specific AbbVie programme to which you provided Personal Information, and a detailed explanation of your request.
  • If you would like to delete, amend or correct your Personal Information and are contacting us by e-mail, please put "Deletion Request" or "Amendment/Correction Request", as applicable, in the subject line of the e-mail. We will do our best to respond to all reasonable requests in a timely manner.

How will I know whether AbbVie has updated this policy?

  • Without prejudice to your rights under applicable law, AbbVie reserves the right to amend this Privacy Policy without prior notice at any time. We recommend that you revisit this Privacy Policy periodically to ensure that you are aware of our current privacy practices, although we may also elect to notify you by updating the effective date at the top of this Privacy Policy, by e-mail, or by posting something on the AbbVie Websites. Your continued use of the AbbVie Websites following any changes signifies your acceptance of these changes.

Cookie Policy

Effective Date: April 2015

ABBVIE COOKIE POLICY

This Cookie Policy explains how certain technologies are used by this website to distinguish you from other users of the website. Your use of this website is subject at all times to the Terms of Use. When registering for, using, or submitting Personal Information in connection with, the website, you consent to the practices described by this Cookie Policy.

Why do AbbVie Websites use “cookies” and other tracking technologies?

  • A “cookie” is a file that our Web Server may send to your computer when you access an AbbVie Website. This file is then stored on your computer. After you have entered Personal Information into a form or data field on an AbbVie Website, AbbVie may use cookies and certain other technologies to allow that Website to "remember" your personal preferences, such as sections of that Website that you visit frequently and, if you choose, your user ID.
  • Passive information collection technologies can make your use of AbbVie Websites easier by allowing AbbVie to provide better service, customise sites based on consumer preferences, compile statistics, analyse trends, and otherwise administer and improve AbbVie Websites. Certain features of AbbVie Websites may not work without use of passive information collection technologies.
  • You can also learn more about cookies by visiting http://www.allaboutcookies.org.

What types of cookies and other tracking technologies do AbbVie Websites use?

  • AbbVie Websites use “session” cookies. Session cookies are temporary bits of information that are erased once you exit your web browser window or otherwise turn your computer off. Session cookies are used, for example, to improve navigation on our websites, block visitors from providing information where inappropriate (the site "remembers" previous entries of age or country of origin that were outside the specified parameters and blocks subsequent changes) and to collect aggregated statistical information.
  • AbbVie Websites use “persistent” cookies. Persistent cookies are more permanent bits of information that are placed on the hard drive of your computer and stay there unless you delete the cookie. Persistent cookies store information on your computer for a number of purposes, such as retrieving certain information you have previously provided (e.g., passwords), helping to determine what areas of the website visitors find most valuable, and customising the Website based on your preferences on an on-going basis. Persistent cookies placed by this site on your computer may hold Personal Information, but only if you have registered or have otherwise consented to the retention of Personal Information you have provided at the site. Otherwise our site's server only knows that an unidentified visitor with your cookies has returned to the site.
  • AbbVie Websites use “Web Beacons” (also known as internet tags, single-pixel GIFs, clear GIFs, and invisible GIFs). A Web Beacon is a tiny graphic on a web page or in an e-mail message that is used to track pages viewed or messages opened. Web Beacons tell the Website server information such as the IP address and browser type related to the visitor's computer. Web Beacons may be placed on online advertisements that bring people to our site and on different pages of our site. Web Beacons provide us with information on how many times a page is opened and which information is consulted; AbbVie does not use Web Beacons to collect Personal Information.

What choices do I have about AbbVie’s use of cookies and other tracking technologies?

  • The specific choices you are provided with concerning AbbVie’s use of cookies and other tracking technologies vary by AbbVie Website.
  • On some AbbVie Websites, you may be asked to consent to the use cookies and/or other tracking technologies on that Website. Cookies that are necessary to the operation of the site will continue to function regardless of whether you have provided consent. Other types of cookies and tracking technologies will be turned off until you provide consent. As a result, the functionality of the site may be reduced until you choose to provide consent. If you disable or decline certain cookies that are important to the functionality of the Website, AbbVie reserves the right to deny you access to the Website.
  • On some AbbVie Websites, you may be provided with preference questions or boxes allowing you to indicate that you do not want that website to use cookies or other tracking technologies that are not necessary to the operation of the Website. If you choose to exercise this opt-out option, the functionality of the Website may be reduced as a result.
  • Some Internet browsers allow you to limit or disable the use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Please refer to the information provided by your Internet browser for instructions on how to do so (generally found under a “Help” menu).