Privacy Policy
Effective Date of this Privacy Policy: December 31, 2009
This Privacy Policy explains how Abbott Laboratories including its
subsidiaries and affiliates, (together referred to as “Abbott”) handles the
personal information that you provide to us on Web sites controlled by Abbott
which link to this Privacy Policy (together referred to as "Abbott Web
Site(s)"). 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 non-Canadian residents, or to
third-party Web sites to which Abbott Web Sites may link. Your use of Abbott
Web Sites is subject to this Privacy Policy and the Online
Terms of Use.
Please read this Privacy Policy before using Abbott Web Sites or submitting
personal information to us.
What is "personal information" as used in this Privacy
Policy?
"Personal information" means information that identifies you or
could be used to identify you and which is submitted to and/or collected by
Abbott Web Sites. Examples of personal information include your name, your
postal address, your e-mail 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.
- 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, and
web beacons. Cookies are small text files that are transferred to your
computer’s hard disk by a Web site. Web beacons (also referred to as GIF
files, pixels or Internet tags) help Abbott recognize a unique cookie on your
browser. 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 Abbott Web 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 identify you
without additional identifiable information and Abbott will not connect
additional identifiable information with information collected through the use
of such tracking technologies. With respect to limiting or disabling tracking
technology please see below “What choices do I have about how Abbott
collects and uses personal information about me?”.
In what circumstances and for what purposes might Abbott collect and
use personal information?
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 Abbott Web Site to "remember" your personal preferences, such as
sections of that Abbott Web Site that you visit frequently and, if you choose,
your user ID. We will only use your 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 if you
provided us with your prior opt-in consent for such
purposes.
Does Abbott consolidate personal information?
Abbott may consolidate the personal information of customers who use Abbott
Web Sites. In addition, we may consolidate information in a non-identifiable
form (aggregate/anonymous data) to help us better design Abbott Web Sites and
Abbott products, to enhance our research activities, and to facilitate other
business functions.Abbott may share aggregated anonymous information about
customers who use the Abbott Web Sites with its affiliates, partners and other
third parties.
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 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 third parties 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 seek your consent where required by applicable law 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 your personal information only to perform
functions for Abbott.
Abbott may transfer your
personal information to a country other than your own. Personal information
stored in another jurisdiction is subject to the laws of that country and these
laws may not provide the same protections as the country where you reside. For
example, personal information that is transferred to and stored in the U.S. may
be available to the U.S. government or its agencies under a lawful order made
in that country.
Does Abbott share personal information with third
parties?
Except as otherwise stated in this section, Abbott will not
transfer your personal information to third parties unless you have been
provided with an opportunity to opt into this disclosure. Abbott may
disclose your personal information without your opt-in to third party service
providers which assist us with our business activities. It is Abbott’s practice
to require such third party service providers to keep your personal information
confidential and to use your personal information only to perform functions for
Abbott and in accordance with Abbott’s instructions. Abbott further reserves
the right to disclose your personal information to respond to authorized
information requests from government authorities or when otherwise required by
law. In the event Abbott sells one of its product lines or divisions, Abbott
will only transfer your personal information to the buyer subject to your
consent where required by applicable law so that the buyer can continue to
provide you with information and services.
How does Abbott secure personal information?
It is Abbott’s practice to secure each Abbott Web Site 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. 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 may provide links
to third-party Web sites which are not controlled by Abbott. 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
as Abbott is not responsible
for their policies and privacy practices.
Please remember that if
you post any of your personal information in public areas of Abbott Web Sites,
such as an online forum or chat room, this information may be collected and
used by others over whom Abbott has no control. Use caution when posting
personal information in these public forums. Abbott is not responsible for the
use made by third parties of information you post or otherwise make available
in public areas of any Abbott Web Site.
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 or correct personal information or delete it from
current customer records?
You may request access to
your personal information which is held by Abbott at any time. With your
support, Abbott will keep personal information accurate and up-to-date. You may
request to remove, amend or correct your personal information. Please notify us
of your wishes by contacting us in one of the ways specified below.
How long will Abbott store personal information?
In general, Abbott will only store your personal information for as long as
it is needed to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, subject to
applicable data retention periods imposed upon Abbott by applicable law.
How can I contact Abbott?
If you have questions about the scope, 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
Abbott Web Site you are visiting or by e-mailing us at webmaster@abbott.com. Alternatively, you
may send a letter to the following address:
Abbott Laboratories
Attention: Public Affairs, Department 383
100 Abbott Park Road
Abbott Park, IL 60064-6048
In all communications to Abbott, please include the e-mail address used for
registration (if applicable), the Abbott Web Site address on which you provided
any personal information about which you have questions or concerns (e.g.
Abbott.com etc.), 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 Abbott has updated this Privacy
Policy?
If Abbott changes its privacy practices, an updated version of this Privacy
Policy will reflect those changes and we will notify you of such changes by
updating the effective date at the top of this Privacy Policy. Without
prejudice to your rights under applicable law, Abbott reserves the right to
amend this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect technological
advancements, legal and regulatory changes and good business
practices.