Full Privacy Statement – adverse events, complaints and enquiries
We are committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. In your interactions with us, should you provide information by which you can be identified, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.
We collect, record and store information to help us fulfil a legal obligation for all product owners to monitor and, if necessary, report safety and quality issues concerning their medicinal products, medical devices, cosmetics, biocides and general products.
Our commitment to you
- We will comply with the current legislation for data protection.
- We will only collect the data we need to perform our legal obligations.
- Our only contact with you will be relevant to your initial communication.
- Your information will be stored securely and for the purpose for which it was collected.
- You can ask to see a copy of the information we hold on you.
- We will not publish information about you which identifies you, nor will we pass on your details to any third party without your prior consent, unless there is a legal obligation to do so.
What we collect
We may collect the following type of information:
- Details of the adverse event, complaint or enquiry.
- Your name and, if different, the name of the patient / user of the product.
- Your contact information including email addresses, postal addresses and postcodes.
- Information such as age and gender.
- Details of the reaction experienced and any relevant health issues or medical history.
- The product used and any other products used at the same time.
What we do with the information we gather
We require this information to meet a legal obligation to record all safety or quality issues for monitoring purposes and to report the details, as necessary, to the relevant Competent Authority. This activity falls within the “Data Protection Act”1 category of ‘public interest’.
The information collected helps the product owner to investigate the report and to avoid duplication of the same report from different sources.
If we are not the product owner, then we are acting on behalf of the product owner. The information collected is considered to be the property of the product owner.
Data storage and security
We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure at all times. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial
procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect, record, store and dispose of when no longer required.
Marketing and other website activity
Separately from the above, we may also collect information when you visit our websites or choose to hear from us – for example when you sign up to receive news or offers, take part in a competition or survey, or make a general or commercial enquiry. In addition to the contact details listed above, this may include:
- Your marketing preferences and whether you have agreed to hear from us.
- Details of any competition, survey or promotion you take part in.
- Information about how you use our websites, collected through cookies (such as device and usage data).
Where you have asked to receive marketing, or where we use non-essential cookies, we rely on your consent rather than a legal obligation. You can withdraw your consent at any time – for example by using the unsubscribe link in any message, by adjusting your cookie settings, or by contacting us – and we will stop. We use this information only to provide the updates, offers or services you have asked for and to operate and improve our websites. We do not sell your information or share it for anyone else’s marketing.