Privacy Policy

COPD Research ("we", "us", "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you share with us, including through our website at copdresearch.com.au (the "Site"). This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use and store it, and the choices and rights available to you. It's written to be consistent with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

By using this Site, registering for updates, or contacting us through our forms, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

1. Information we collect

We collect information you provide directly to us, including:

• Contact details – name, email address, phone number and state/territory, submitted via our Contact and Register forms.
• Health-related information – where you choose to provide it on our Register form, this may include whether you have been diagnosed with COPD, your smoking history, the symptoms you experience, your approximate age, and any additional notes you share about your condition or treatment.
• Enquiry details – the subject and content of any message you send us via the Contact form.
• Technical information – such as browser type, device information and general usage data, which may be collected automatically if analytics or cookies are enabled on this Site (see Section 6).

Health information is "sensitive information" under the Privacy Act. We only collect it with your consent (via the checkbox on our Register form) and only for the purposes described below.

2. How we use your information

We use the information we collect to:

• Send you COPD-related research updates, articles and relevant clinical trial or study information, where you have opted in;
• Respond to enquiries submitted through our Contact form;
• Understand, in aggregate and de-identified form, the interests and needs of the people who use this Site so we can improve our content and services;
• Comply with our legal obligations and protect the rights, safety and property of COPD Research, our users and the public.

We do not use your information to make any medical or diagnostic decisions, and this Site does not provide medical advice (see our Terms & Conditions).

3. Disclosure of your information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share information with:

• Service providers who help us operate this Site or send communications on our behalf (for example, email delivery or form-handling providers), under obligations to keep it confidential and secure;
• Research or clinical trial partners, but only where you have specifically indicated interest in clinical trial information and only with your further, explicit consent before any of your details are shared;
• Regulatory or law enforcement bodies, where required by law.

We do not otherwise disclose your personal or health information to third parties without your consent.

4. Data storage & security

We take reasonable technical and organisational steps to protect the personal information we hold from misuse, interference, loss, and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Information submitted through our forms is stored securely and access is limited to those who need it to carry out the purposes described in this policy. No method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

5. Data retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy, including to continue sending you requested updates, or until you ask us to delete it or unsubscribe, whichever comes first.

6. Cookies & analytics

This Site may use cookies or similar technologies to remember your preferences and understand how visitors use the Site (for example, via aggregated analytics). You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings; doing so may affect some features of the Site.

7. Your rights

Subject to some exceptions permitted by law, you have the right to:

• Ask us what personal information we hold about you and request a copy of it;
• Ask us to correct any information that is inaccurate or out of date;
• Ask us to delete your personal information;
• Unsubscribe from research updates at any time, using the link provided in our emails or by contacting us directly;
• Withdraw your consent to the collection or use of your health information at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe.

8. Children's privacy

This Site is intended for adults seeking general information about COPD. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take steps to delete it.

9. Overseas disclosure

Some of the service providers we use to operate this Site (such as hosting, email or form-handling providers) may store or process information on servers located outside Australia. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure your information continues to be protected in a manner consistent with the Australian Privacy Principles.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our practices or for legal or operational reasons. The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised "last updated" date.

11. Contact us

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please get in touch via our Contact page, or email us at info@copdresearch.com.au.