Information Collection and Use
Breastlink.com is the sole owner of the information collected on this site. We will not sell, share, or rent this information to others in ways different from what is disclosed in this statement. The policy of Breastlink.com is that no cookie, advertisement, hyperlink or other function on the Breastlink.com website is capable of passing any identifying information about Breastlink.com or any visitor to a third party unless both (a) Breastlink.com has expressly approved such arrangement in writing and (b) the particular individual visitor has expressly, affirmatively and unambiguously granted permission for such disclosure. Please be aware, however, that once you leave the Breastlink.com website, Breastlink.com cannot vouch for or assume any responsibility for any material contained in a website to which a link is provided or for the policies and practices of that website. Breastlink.com collects information from our users at several different points on our website, including:

• at the Discussion Board and Chat sign up
• at the subscription point for the Breastlink.com e-mail Updates
• at the Tell a Friend email page on the Assessment of Breast Cancer Risk Tool
• when you contact Breastlink.com by e-mail, either to ask questions or to submit your ideas or suggestions.

Breastlink.com also collects routine tracking information as users move through the site through the use of IP addresses, cookies, and web beacons, explained in more detail below.

Though we make every effort to preserve user privacy, we may need to disclose personal information when required by law wherein we have a good-faith belief that such action is necessary to comply with a current judicial proceeding, a court order or legal process served on our Web site.

Public Forums

Breastlink.com Chat Sessions
Users who participate in our online Chat Sessions are asked to provide a username, which is used solely to differentiate between remarks made by different users during the conference, and in the archived transcript that resides on the site. This user name is entirely of the user's own choosing, and does not require any personally identifiable information. Users should be aware that choosing a username that allows personal identification, or disclosing personally identifiable information to other conference participants makes the information submitted public information. Such disclosure may increase the chance of receiving "spam" or unsolicited email. Breastlink.comencourages users to use discretion when disclosing information online.

Discussion Forum
Users who sign up for our Discussion Forum are required to provide a username, password, and email address. The username you provide will serve to identify your postings to the Discussion Forum. The email address you provide is not transferred, sold, given, or otherwise disclosed to any third party. You may elect whether or not to make your email address viewable to other Discussion Board users when posting new messages or replies, and you may elect whether or not to allow Breastlink.com Administrators and Moderators to send you email notices regarding Discussion Board changes or questions about your postings. Users should be aware that choosing a username that allows personal identification, or disclosing personally identifiable information when posting messages to the Discussion Boards makes the information submitted public information. Such disclosure may increase the chance of receiving "spam" or unsolicited email. Breastlink.com encourages users to use discretion when disclosing information online.

E-mail Updates

If a visitor wishes to subscribe to our Updates, we ask for contact information, including name and e-mail address.

Tell-A-Friend

If a user elects to use our referral service for informing a friend about a particular page at our site, we ask for both the sender's and the friend's name and e-mail address. Breastlink.com will automatically send the friend a one-time e-mail inviting them to visit the selected page at our site. Breastlink.com stores this information for the sole purpose of sending this one-time e-mail.

Cookies

A cookie is a piece of data stored on your computer's hard drive. Cookies contain information about you and your computer. A "session cookie" is a temporary file created when a website is accessed. It ceases to exist (is self-terminated) either on the basis of an pre-set expiration date or time (e.g., three hours from creation of the cookie) or when you close your web browser. Once you close your browser, the cookie simply terminates (i.e., ceases to exist). Breastlink.com uses session cookies in one place: Tell-a-Friend. This allows you to send more than one card or page without having to re-enter your own name and e-mail address each time.

A "persistent cookie" is a file that remains on your computer's hard drive for an extended period of time. Breastlink.com uses persistent cookies to track aggregate user statistics on the site to help us determine how people move throughout the site, which areas are popular, and which links are unpopular or hard to see.

Advertisers or third party vendors who implement banner ads that link to our site from other sites may also set persistent cookies on our site. We do not have access to or control over these cookies, once we have given permission for them to set cookies for advertising or tracking purposes. We may receive information regarding aggregate traffic patterns as a result of these third party cookies.

You may remove persistent cookies at any time from your hard drive by following Internet browser "help file" directions.

Cookies are in no way linked to any personally identifiable information while on our site.

Web Beacons

Web beacons are tiny graphical images (usually 1x1 pixels) that are served from a third party advertiser or marketing firm. Web beacons allow that third party to set their own cookies on your hard drive-enabling them to track your Internet usage across many other web sites. Web beacons help us determine the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns on other websites. Web Beacons are in no way linked to personally identifiable information while on our site.

Log Files

We use IP addresses to analyze trends, administer the site, track user's movement, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. "IP addresses" are the equivalent of internet "mailing addresses." They tell other computers on the Internet where to send the information you have requested, such as new web pages or images. IP addresses are not linked to personally identifiable information.

Sharing Information

We will share aggregated demographic information with our partners and advertisers. Partners can include providers of content and services, such as the American Cancer Society, as well as financial sponsors and advertisers. This is not linked to any personal information that can identify any individual person.

Links

This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that Breastlink.com is not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects personally identifiable information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this website.

Security

This website takes every precaution to protect our users' information. When you submit sensitive information via the website, your information is protected both online and off-line as described in this policy statement. Please be aware, however, that e-mail messages sent to a website may not be secure. Site visitors sending e-mail accept the risk that a third party may intercept e-mail messages. To protect our users' information once it is received by breastlink.com, we have the following policies:

On occasion, questions submitted by e-mail may be referred to a member of the Breastlink.com Professional Advisory Board or Consumer Advisory Board, for answers and support. The name and e-mail address of the person submitting the question will not be shared with the member of the Professional Advisory Board to whom the question is referred.

All of our users' information is restricted in our offices. Only employees or independent contractors who need the information to perform a specific job (for example, Dr. Link, who personally responds to medical queries; a mail manager who e-mails a response from a medical expert to a site user) are granted access to personally identifiable information. ALL employees and independent contractors are kept up-to-date on our security and privacy practices.

Periodically, as well as any time new policies are added, our employees and independent contractors are notified and/or reminded about the importance we place on privacy, and what they can do to ensure our customers' information is protected. If you have any questions about the security at our website, please contact technical support.

Correction/Updating Personal Information

If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your zip code), or if a user no longer desires our service, we will endeavor to provide a way to correct, update or remove that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done by contacting Customer Support. Users will receive a confirmation email stating that we have received their updated or corrected information and/or their request to have personal data removed.

Choice/Opt-out

Our users are given the opportunity to 'opt-out' of having their information used for purposes not directly related to our site, at the point where we ask for the information. For example, users who no longer wish to receive our e-mail Updates may opt-out of receiving these communications by following the Unsubscribe directions in the Update or by contacting us.

Notification of Changes

Users will be notified of any changes in our Privacy Policy by a link to the updated policy on the home page, including an icon indicating that the policy has recently changed. It is our commitment that our users will always be aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under circumstances, if any, we disclose it.

If, at any point, we decide to use personally identifiable information in a manner different from that stated at the time it was collected, we will notify users by way of an e-mail. Users will have a choice as to whether or not we use their information in this different manner. We will use information in accordance with the privacy policy under which the information was collected.

Terms of Use

Your use of Breastlink.com is conditioned upon your continued acceptance of and compliance with our Terms of Use and Rules of Conduct. Please take this time to familiarize yourself with these important policies and rules.

Breastlink.com is an online information and communications service provided by Breastlink Medical Group Inc., subject to your compliance with the Terms of Use and Rules of Conduct. Breastlink.com is designed to be a homepage for a thriving community concerned about breast cancer, and a comfortable place for visitors to find emotional support and share experiences. Information provided on this website should not be used in place of consultation with, or the advice of, your physician or other healthcare provider. Breastlink.com does not recommend self-management of health problems.

Breastlink.com may change any term in these Terms of Use and Rules of Conduct at any time. The changes will appear in these Terms of Use and Rules of Conduct, and your use of the site after any changes have been posted will constitute your agreement to the modified Terms of Use and Rules of Conduct. Therefore, you should read these Terms of Use each time you access the website, before you begin using it.

Copyright and Limitations on Use
The Content displayed on the website ("Content") is the property of Breastlink.com or its licensors, and is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. This website and the Content may be used by you only for your personal and non-commercial use. You agree not to copy, reproduce, modify, display, perform, publish, create derivative works from, or store any Content from the website.

You may, on an occasional and irregular basis, reproduce, distribute, display or transmit an insubstantial portion of the Content, for a noncommercial purpose and without charge, to a limited number of individuals, provided you include all copyright and other proprietary rights notices with such portion of the Content in the same form in which the notices appear at the website, the original source attribution, and the phrase "Used with permission from Breastlink.comT." However, you may not post any Content from Breastlink.com to forums, newsgroups, mail lists, electronic bulletin boards, or other websites, without the prior written consent of breastlink.com. To request consent, you may email info@Breastlink.com

This website includes facts, views, opinions and recommendations of individuals and organizations deemed of interest to the community concerned about breast cancer. Breastlink.com and its Content licensors and providers are not giving medical or other professional advice. Breastlink.com and its Content licensors and providers do not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of, or otherwise endorse, these views, opinions and recommendations. You should always seek the assistance of a medical or other healthcare professional for medical and other health matters.

DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES AND LIABILITY
Due to the number of sources from which the Content is obtained, and the inherent hazards of electronic distribution, there may be delays, errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in such Content and the website. THE CONTENT AND THE WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES. USE OF OR RELIANCE ON THE CONTENT AND GRAPHICS AT THIS WEBSITE IS AT THE USER'S OWN RISK.

Breastlink.com AND ITS AFFILIATES, PARTNERS, AGENTS AND LICENSORS CANNOT AND DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, TIMELINESS, NONINFRINGEMENT, TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OF THE CONTENT AVAILABLE THROUGH THE WEBSITE, OR OF THE WEBSITE ITSELF, AND Breastlink.com HEREBY DISCLAIMS ANY SUCH EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARANTIES. NEITHER Breastlink.com NOR ANY OF ITS AFFIALATES, PARTNERS, AGENTS OR LICENSORS WILL BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANYONE ELSE FOR ANY LOSS OR INJURY FROM USE OF THE WEBSITE AND/OR ANY CONTENT AT THE WEBSITE. IN NO EVENT WILL Breastlink.com OR ITS AFFILIATES, PARTNERS, AGENTS OR LICENSORS BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANYONE ELSE FOR ANY DECISION MADE OR ACTION TAKEN BY YOU IN RELIANCE ON SUCH CONTENT OR THE WEBSITE. Breastlink.com AND ITS AFFILIATES, PARTNERS, AGENTS AND LICENSORS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANYONE ELSE FOR ANY DAMAGES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, OR SIMILAR DAMAGES), EVEN IF ADVISED OF SUCH DAMAGES. BECAUSE SOME STATES OR JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW FOR THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN TYPES OF WARRANTIES, PARTS OR ALL OF THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

Links to Third Party Sites. As a convenience to you, this website contains links to websites operated by persons or entities other than Breastlink.com. Such links are provided for your reference and convenience only. You agree not to hold Breastlink.com responsible for the content or operation of such websites. A link or hyperlink from Breastlink.com to another website does not imply or mean that Breastlink.com endorses the content on that website or the operators or the operations of that website. Breastlink.com specifically disclaims responsibility for materials posted or activities that occur on linked sites. Breastlink.com does not review materials posted or activities occurring on linked sites. You are solely responsible for determining the extent to which you may use any content at any other websites to which you might link from Breastlink.com.

If you wish to make purchases from an area of the website or an affiliated website, such as Amazon.com, operated by a person or entity other than Breastlink.com, you may be asked by the merchant or operator from whom you are making the purchase to supply certain information, including credit card, debit card, or other payment mechanism information. You agree not to hold Breastlink.com liable for any loss or damage of any sort incurred as a result of any such dealings with any merchant or operator from which you are making the purchase. You agree that all information you provide in connection with such purchase shall be accurate, complete and current. You agree to pay all charges incurred by users of your credit card, debit card, or other payment mechanism at the prices in effect when such charges are incurred. You also will pay any applicable taxes, if any, relating to any purchases you make. You are reminded that such sites are separate from Breastlink.com, subject to their own policies and terms, including privacy policies.

Online Communications
Certain areas of the website enable you to access online Discussion Boards and Chat rooms where you can participate in online communications. Such communications occur in real time and are not edited, censored, or otherwise controlled by Breastlink.com. Breastlink.com cannot and does not screen content provided by you or other users. Breastlink.com does not endorse, and specifically disclaims any responsibility or liability for any content posted on the Discussion Boards, whether the topic is first selected by Breastlink.com or a user. The Discussion Boards are a free service provided to users of Breastlink.com. By posting a message on the Discussion Boards, you agree to be bound by the following terms and conditions. If you do not want to be bound by these terms, then do not access or use the Discussion Boards.

You agree to be fully responsible for your own postings and agree to access and use the Discussion Boards at your own risk on an "AS IS" basis. While Breastlink.com has no obligation to monitor the Discussion Boards, Breastlink.com reserves the right to monitor content on the Discussion Boards and to remove content that Breastlink.com, in its sole discretion, determines to be harmful, offensive, unlawful or otherwise in violation of these Terms of Use and Rules of Conduct. Breastlink.com cannot and does not guarantee that it will post or continue to post every message or other content you or other users submit to the Discussion Boards. Also, Breastlink.com reserves the right to edit or abridge postings for any reason and to disclose any information as necessary to satisfy any applicable law, regulation, legal process or governmental request, or to edit, refuse to post or to remove any information or materials, in whole or in part, in Breastlink.com's sole discretion.

By posting a message, uploading a file, or engaging in any other form of communication through a Discussion Boards, you are granting Breastlink.com a perpetual, exclusive, royalty-free and irrevocable right and license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, distribute, transmit, publicly display, publicly perform, sublicense, create derivative works from, transfer, and sell any such messages, files or communications.

Rules of Conduct
You must abide by the following rules when accessing or using Breastlink.com, including the Discussion Boards:

• You agree not to use this website for any unlawful purpose.
• You agree not to defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten or otherwise violate the legal rights of others.
• You agree not to impersonate any person or entity, or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with a person or entity.
• You agree not to post messages that contain material that is inappropriate, unlawful, threatening, abusive, hateful, profane, defamatory, infringing, obscene, pornographic, or indecent.
• You agree not to violate the property rights of others, and you agree not to post any content that infringes any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright or other proprietary rights of any party.
• You agree not to upload files, or cause users to upload files, that contain viruses, worms, "Trojan horses", corrupted files, or any similar software or programs that may adversely affect the operation of another's computer.
• You agree not to advertise or promote any goods or services in the Discussion Boards. "Junk mail", "spamming", "chain letters, "pyramid schemes" and similar activities are strictly prohibited.
• You agree not to solicit anyone to buy or sell products or services, or to make donations of any kind, without our express written approval.
• You agree not to violate any applicable local, state, national or international law in connection with the use of the Forums.

Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Breastlink.com, its affiliates and partners, and the respective officers, directors, employees and agents of each from any claims, damages, losses, expenses or costs (including reasonable attorneys' fees) that arise out of your violation of these Terms of Use and Rules of Conduct, any of your postings and/or any material contained therein.

Additional Legal Terms
These Terms of Use and Rules of Conduct and your rights and obligations shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of California, without giving effect to principles of conflict of laws. You expressly agree that any legal proceeding between breastlink.com and you concerning your use of breastlink.com, these Terms of Use and Rules of Conduct, or the parties' obligations hereunder shall be brought exclusively in a court of competent jurisdiction in Los Angeles, California.

You further agree that Breastlink.com's failure to enforce strict performance of any provision of these Terms of Use and Rules of Conduct shall not be construed as a waiver of any provision or right. If any provision in these Terms of Use and Rules of Conduct is invalid or unenforceable under applicable law, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect, and the invalid or unenforceable provision shall be deemed superseded by a valid, enforceable provision that most closely matches the intent of the original provision.

All rights not expressly granted herein are hereby reserved.

What To Do If You Believe a Posting Violates These Terms of Use and Rules of Conduct. If you believe that a posting or other online communication violates these Terms of Use and Rules of Conduct, Breastlink.com encourages you to contact us.

Copyright/Disclaimer

© 2004 Breastlink.com. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer
All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or medical treatment. The information provided on this site is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and her/his existing physician. Please consult your healthcare professional on any question you may have. You should never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking medical advice because of something you read here.