Privacy Policy
Please note that this Web site is intended for use only by residents of
Canada. This Privacy Policy explains how we handle the personal information
that you provide to us on Web sites controlled by Abbott Laboratories, Limited
(“Abbott”) (including its subsidiaries and affiliates) which link to
this Privacy Policy (referred to as "Abbott Web sites"). Unless
otherwise specifically noted this Privacy Policy does not apply to personal
information collected from you offline, to Abbott Web sites that do not link to
this Privacy Policy, to residents of countries other than Canada, or to
third-party Web sites to which Abbott Web sites may link. Your use of Abbott
Web sites which link to this Privacy Policy is subject to this Privacy Policy
and the Terms of Use.
Please read this Privacy Policy before using Abbott Web sites or submitting
personal information to us.
How does this Privacy Policy define "personal information"?
"Personal information" means information that is not otherwise
publicly available and that identifies you or could reasonably be used to
identify you and which is submitted to and/or collected by Abbott Web sites and
maintained by Abbott in an accessible form. Examples of personal information
include your name, your postal address and your telephone number.
How does Abbott collect information online?
Abbott collects information in two ways:
- Personal Information You Submit:
Abbott collects personal information that you enter into data fields on
Abbott Web sites. 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 Abbott programs, contact Abbott customer service, or
respond to Abbott surveys. To protect your privacy, you should not provide
Abbott with any information that is not specifically requested, such as your
medical history. Passive Collection of Unidentifiable Information:Abbott Web
sites may collect information about your visits to Abbott Web sites without you
actively submitting such information. Unidentifiable information may be
collected using various technologies, such as cookies, Internet tags, and Web
beacons. Your Internet browser automatically transmits to Abbott Web sites some
of this unidentifiable information, such as the URL of the Web site you just
visited and the browser version your computer is operating. Passive information
collection technologies can make your use of Abbott Web sites easier by
allowing Abbott to provide better service, customize sites based on consumer
preferences, compile statistics, analyze trends, and otherwise administer and
improve Abbott Web sites. Certain features of Abbott Web sites may not work
without use of passive information collection technologies. Information
collected by these technologies cannot be used to identity you without
additional identifiable information.
- Passive Collection of Unidentifiable Information:
Abbott Web sites may collect information about your visits to Abbott Web
sites without you actively submitting such information. Unidentifiable
information may be collected using various technologies, such as cookies,
Internet tags, and Web beacons. Your Internet browser automatically transmits
to Abbott Web sites some of this unidentifiable information, such as the URL of
the Web site you just visited and the browser version your computer is
operating. Passive information collection technologies can make your use of
Abbott Web sites easier by allowing Abbott to provide better service, customize
sites based on consumer preferences, compile statistics, analyze trends, and
otherwise administer and improve Abbott Web sites. Certain features of Abbott
Web sites may not work without use of passive information collection
technologies. Information collected by these technologies cannot be used to
identity you without additional identifiable information. Personal Information
You Submit:Abbott collects personal information that you enter into data fields
on Abbott Web sites. 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 Abbott programs, contact Abbott customer
service, or respond to Abbott surveys. To protect your privacy, you should not
provide Abbott with any information that is not specifically requested, such as
your medical history. Passive Collection of Unidentifiable Information:Abbott
Web sites may collect information about your visits to Abbott Web sites without
you actively submitting such information. Unidentifiable information may be
collected using various technologies, such as cookies, Internet tags, and Web
beacons. Your Internet browser automatically transmits to Abbott Web sites some
of this unidentifiable information, such as the URL of the Web site you just
visited and the browser version your computer is operating. Passive information
collection technologies can make your use of Abbott Web sites easier by
allowing Abbott to provide better service, customize sites based on consumer
preferences, compile statistics, analyze trends, and otherwise administer and
improve Abbott Web sites. Certain features of Abbott Web sites may not work
without use of passive information collection technologies. Information
collected by these technologies cannot be used to identity you without
additional identifiable information.
In what circumstances might Abbott collect and use personal information?
Personal information relating to you will only be used or disclosed for the
purposes to which you have been informed. For example, Abbott will use the
personal information you provide through Abbott Web sites to respond to your
questions and to provide you with efficient customer service. After you have
entered personal information into a form or data field on an Abbott Web site,
Abbott may use certain identifying technologies to allow that Web site to
"remember" your personal preferences, such as sections of that Web site
that you visit frequently and, if you choose, your user ID. We may also use
this personal information for other business purposes, such as to offer you the
opportunity to receive notices regarding Abbott’s products or services, to
invite you to participate in surveys about our products, or to notify you about
special promotions.
Does Abbott consolidate personal information?
Abbott may consolidate the personal information of customers who use Abbott
Web sites. We use this information to help us better design Abbott Web sites
and Abbott products, to communicate information to you, to enhance our
marketing and research activities, and to facilitate other business
functions.
What choices do I have about how Abbott collects and uses personal information about me?
You may always limit the amount and type of personal information that Abbott
receives about you by choosing not to enter any personal information into forms
or data fields on Abbott Web sites. Some of our online services can only be
provided to you if you provide us with appropriate personal information. Other
parts of Abbott Web sites may ask whether you wish to opt out or opt into our
contact lists for offers, promotions and additional services that may be of
interest to you.
You may also be provided with preference questions or preference boxes
allowing you to indicate that you do not want Abbott Web sites to use tracking
technologies, such as cookies, to "remember" your personal information,
such as user IDs or mailing addresses, on return visits. However, Abbott Web
sites that use tracking technologies to collect unidentifiable information do
not generally provide you with the ability to opt out of the tracking
technologies. Some Internet browsers allow you to limit or disable the use of
tracking technologies that collect unidentifiable information.
Who will have access to personal information about me?
Personal information can be accessed by a restricted number of Abbott
employees, by certain companies with which Abbott may conduct joint programs,
and by individuals and entities with whom Abbott contracts to carry out
business activities for Abbott. We train our employees about the importance of
privacy and how to handle and manage customer data appropriately and securely.
Also, it is Abbott’s practice to notify you if you are registering for a
program which is conducted in conjunction with another company that may require
access to your personal information. In addition, Abbott’s practice is to
require its contractors to keep your personal information confidential and to
use personal information only to perform functions for Abbott.
Does Abbott share personal information with third parties?
As a general rule, Abbott does not share your personal information with
third parties, unless it is necessary to conduct a joint program or to carry
out a program or activity through a contractor. Where required by law, Abbott
will not disclose your personal information to third parties for those third
parties’ marketing purposes, unless you have been provided with an opportunity
to opt into or opt out of this disclosure. However, if Abbott sells one of its
product lines or divisions, your personal information may be transferred to the
buyer so that the buyer can continue to provide you with information and
services. If Abbott provides your personal information to individuals and
entities which assist us with our business activities, it is Abbott’s practice
to require those individuals and entities to keep your personal information
confidential and to use your personal information only to perform functions for
Abbott. Abbott reserves the right to disclose your personal information to
respond to authorized information requests from government authorities, to
address national security situations, or when otherwise required by law.
Where and how long is my personal information stored?
Your personal information is mainly located at the offices of Abbott.
However, your personal information may also be located with the affiliates of
Abbott (including at our head office in Abbott Park, Illinois) so that they can
process your personal information to meet the purposes for which the
information was collected or for back-up purposes.
Your personal information will not be kept for periods longer than are
necessary to fulfill the purposes for which the information was collected.
How does Abbott secure personal information?
It is Abbott’s practice to secure each Web page that collects personal
information; we employ industry standard safeguards to protect the security of
personal information in our possession including physical, organizational and
technical measures. 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. Abbott cannot guarantee that
unauthorized third parties will not gain access to your personal information;
therefore, when submitting personal information to Abbott Web sites, you must
weigh both the benefits and the risks. In addition, Abbott Web sites covered by
this Privacy Policy will display a warning whenever you link to a Web site that
is not controlled by Abbott; you should check the privacy policies of such
third-party Web sites before submitting personal information.
How does Abbott protect the privacy of children?
Abbott does not knowingly collect or use any personal information from
children (we define "children" as minors younger than 18) on Abbott Web
sites. We do not knowingly allow children to order our products, communicate
with us, or use any of our online services. 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 access my personal information and correct or delete my personal information from current customer records?
You may access your personal information at minimal or no cost. You may
request to remove your personal information from our current customer records
or to amend your personal information where it is demonstrated that the
information is inaccurate or incomplete. Please notify us of your wishes by
contacting us in one of the ways specified below. A reply will be provided to
you within thirty (30) days after the written request for access or
rectification has been received. Please note that under certain circumstances,
you may not be permitted access to your records, such as where such disclosure
would raise security, legal or confidentiality issues. If for some reason the
Chief Privacy Officer cannot provide access, the Chief Privacy Officer will
write you and provide the reasons for the refusal. For our record keeping
purposes, we will retain certain personal information you submit in conjunction
with commercial transactions. Please note that any rectification or deletion
request may limit our ability to provide you with products or services offered
on our Web site.
How can I contact Abbott?
If you have questions about the use, amendment, or deletion of personal
information that you have provided to us, or if you would like to opt out of
future communications from an Abbott business or a particular Abbott program,
please contact us by clicking on the "Contact Us" link on the Web site
you are visiting. You may also send a letter to the following address:
Chief Privacy Officer
Abbott Laboratories, Limited
8401 route Transcanadienne
St-Laurent (Mtl), Québec H4S 1Z1
Canada
In all communications to Abbott, please include the e-mail address used for
registration (if applicable), the Web site address on which you provided any
personal information about which you have questions or concerns (e.g.
abbottdiabetescare.ca, etc.), and a detailed explanation of your request. If
you would like to delete or amend your personal information and are contacting
us by e-mail, please put "Deletion Request" or "Amendment
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 Abbott has updated this policy?
Abbott reserves the right to amend this Privacy Policy without prior notice
to reflect technological advancements, legal and regulatory changes and good
business practices. If Abbott changes its privacy practices, a new Privacy
Policy will reflect those changes and the effective date of the revised Privacy
Policy will be set forth in this paragraph. Please note that you are
responsible for periodically reviewing the most current version of this privacy
policy. Your continued use of this Web site or submission of information will
be deemed your conclusive acceptance of the updated privacy policy. This
Privacy Policy was last updated on March 23, 2005 and is effective as of that
date.