Last updated August 6, 2026 and effective September 5, 2026
Welcome to Health Union. We bring people together in the shared experience of living with chronic health conditions.
Please read this Privacy Notice carefully to learn how we collect, use, share, and protect your Personal Information; the rights and choices available to you, how to exercise those rights; and how to contact us.
Privacy at a Glance.
This summary highlights the key points of our Privacy Notice. For full details, please read the complete Notice below.
What We Collect. We collect Personal Information you provide directly (such as your name, email, and account details), information about your health conditions, diagnoses, treatments, and healthcare experiences that we infer from your participation in our condition-specific health communities or that you choose to share, and information collected automatically through cookies and similar Tracking Technologies (such as browsing activity, device data, and IP address). For more details, see Personal Information We Collect and Receive About You.
How We Use It. We use your Personal Information to operate and improve our Sites and Services, deliver targeted advertising based on your health interests and community participation, create audience segments for our pharmaceutical and life science partners, conduct research and generate insights, power AI-driven interactive health tools, and comply with legal obligations. For more details, see How We Use Your Personal Information.
Who We Share It With. We share your Personal Information with our service providers, advertising and ad network partners (including data management platforms, demand-side platforms, and social media platforms), pharmaceutical and life science business partners, analytics and measurement partners, and select business partners who receive AI-generated patient segmentation and personal insights derived from community content. For more details, see How We Share or Disclose Your Personal Information.
We and our advertising and business partners use various technologies, including cookies, pixels (also known as web beacons), GIFs, and tags (“Tracking Technologies”) to automatically collect information about Users on our Sites and Services, including our direct marketing email communications. We use log files to track actions occurring on digital properties and to collect data about visitors, including IP addresses, browser type, internet service provider, referring/exit pages, date/time stamps, and device identifiers. Our Cookie Policy describes these Tracking Technologies in more detail.
We implement industry-standard technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect your information. Nevertheless, no internet data transmission or storage is ever guaranteed entirely secure. It may be possible for third parties not under Health Union’s control to intercept or access transmissions or communications. If we experience a security incident involving your information, we will provide notices required by applicable law, including the FTC Health Breach Notification Rule if it applies. Please protect your information by carefully selecting and protecting your password. Limit access to your computer, device, and browser. Always sign out of your account when finished. For more detailed information on our security practices, visit our Health Union Trust Center at https://security.health-union.com.
Your Key Rights. You have the right to access, correct, or delete your Personal Information; opt out of the sale or sharing of your Personal Information; opt out of targeted advertising; limit the use of your Sensitive Personal Information; and withdraw consent for Consumer Health Data processing where consent is required by law.
How to Exercise Your Rights.
To opt out of cookies and tracking: use Cookie Settings in our Site footer or enable Global Privacy Control on your browser.
To exercise your privacy rights, submit a Privacy Rights Request Form or email privacy@health-union.com.
For more details, see Your Privacy Rights and Choices.
Scope.
This Privacy Notice (“Notice”) describes how Health Union, LLC and our subsidiaries and affiliates (“Health Union,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collect, use, share, and protect the Personal Information obtained through online and offline interactions with you, as defined under applicable privacy laws, including when you access our websites, mobile applications or health communities (“Sites”) or any other applications that link to this Privacy Notice; communicate or interact with us, engage with us on social media; interact with our materials or content; participate in or interact with any of our programs, events, research activities, Social Health Network, or other digital properties (collectively, including our Sites, the “Services”).
Our privacy practices are subject to the applicable laws of the places in which we operate, so you may see additional region-specific terms that only apply to Users located in those geographic regions, or as required by applicable laws. For certain Services, products and features, we may provide additional notices about our practices.
This Notice supplements any other notices or policies provided to you. Please read those additional privacy disclosures to understand how they apply to you.
If the laws of your state of residence regulate our handling of “Consumer Health Data,” — including, but not limited to, Nevada and Washington —you may have additional rights and choices with respect to such data that we process about you. Please review our Consumer Health Data Privacy Notice, which provides additional information about how we handle Consumer Health Data.
If you are a resident of Maryland, New Jersey, Nevada, or Washington, your Consumer Health Data is not disclosed to third parties outside of a Service Provider or processor context, except as permitted by applicable law or with any required consent. We do not sell or share the Consumer Health Data of residents of those states. If we materially change these practices, we will provide notice and obtain any consent or authorization required by applicable law.
Consumer Health Data Consent. Where required by consumer health data laws, we will obtain consent before collecting or sharing Consumer Health Data, unless the processing is necessary to provide a product or service you requested. We will obtain any separate authorization required by law before selling Consumer Health Data.
Your use of our Services is also governed by our Terms of Use. This Notice does not apply to any third-party websites, applications, widgets, or other experiences that may be linked to or offered through our Services (“Third-Party Sites”). Access to any Third-Party Site is at your own risk and subject to the Third-Party Site privacy policies and terms.
Important Information about Health Union and Our Communities.
Our mission is to help people live better with challenging and complex health conditions through the power of community. We reach millions of people through condition-specific online health communities and our Social Health Network of Health Leaders across virtually all health conditions. Our communities operate under various brand names. For a complete list of our communities and brands, visit https://health-union.com/communities/.
We seek to understand the needs of our communities and where you might be in your health journey. Each of our communities focuses on a specific health condition(s). Under some state privacy laws, participation in one of these communities may reveal inferences about your health status.
Health Union provides and maintains our communities by offering interest-based advertising and marketing services to third parties. We analyze topics you discuss to help us, and our partners show you relevant advertisements and sponsored content. This advertising revenue allows us to keep our communities free and accessible to everyone.
Please note: Health Union is not a covered entity and does not create medical records or protected health information (“PHI”) as defined under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”). However, since our communities focus on specific health conditions, some of this information may be considered Sensitive Personal Information or Consumer Health Data under certain privacy laws.
To see the categories of Personal Information and Sensitive Personal Information we collect, please see our Appendix Chart. To learn more about how we create insights to achieve our mission and support our communities, please review the section on How We Use Your Personal Information.
Consent and Acknowledgement.
If you have questions about this Notice, contact us at privacy@health-union.com before using or continuing to use our Services. By continuing to use our Services, you acknowledge that you have read this Privacy Notice and understand how we collect, use, and disclose information. Where applicable law requires consent for a specific processing activity, we will request that consent separately. If you do not accept these practices, do not use our Services.
Key Terms.
Capitalized or defined terms not explicitly defined in this Privacy Notice shall have the meanings ascribed to them in our Terms of Use. For purposes of this Notice, these key terms will have the following definitions:
- “Consumer Health Data” has the meaning given to that term under the consumer health data laws of the state in which you reside, including the Maryland Online Data Privacy Act, the Nevada consumer health data law, and the Washington My Health My Data Act. If you are a resident of Nevada or Washington, please review our Consumer Health Data Privacy Notice for additional information about how we handle your Consumer Health Data.
- “Healthcare Professionals” (or “HCPs”) means licensed U.S. healthcare professionals whose professional information we use for: (i) marketing and advertising purposes; (ii) data services; (iii) analytics and market research; and (iv) other legitimate business purposes.
- “Personal Information” means any information that identifies, relates to, describes, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular individual or household, including inferences drawn from such information, as defined under applicable privacy laws.
- “Non-Personal Information” is information that cannot reasonably be used to infer information about or otherwise be linked to an individual or household. We create Non-Personal Information by aggregating Personal Information or de-identifying it in accordance with applicable legal standards. Pseudonymized or hashed information that can reasonably be linked to an individual or household remains Personal Information.
- “Sensitive Personal Information” is a subset of Personal Information that includes data and inferences drawn from such data. Examples include: racial or ethnic origin; religious beliefs; mental or physical health or diagnosis; sexual orientation; citizenship or immigration status; genetic or biometric data processed to identify an individual; Personal Information of a known child; precise geolocation data; disability or medical treatment status; and nonbinary or transgender status.
Contact Information. Your name, email address, mailing address, telephone number, employer and position (if applicable).
Account and Profile Information. If you create an account, your username, password, and account number; and profile details you choose to provide. If you create an account, website administrators and moderators may access private User profiles as needed to provide and maintain the Services. We recommend using caution when deciding what details to share in your profile.
Business Information. If you are a current or potential operational partner, customer, client, or business contact of Health Union, we collect information you provide about the services or products you or your organization are interested in, your organization’s business needs, and any other details you share when contacting us or communicating with us about our Services.
User Content. As defined in our Terms of Use, this includes Your Content, your profile information, and any posts, comments, or other material you choose to share. Please note that our open forums and discussion areas are publicly viewable. Think carefully about what you post, as our Sites and communities are open to the public and may be seen by others.
Health and Demographic Information. Information about your health conditions, diagnoses, treatments, medications, and healthcare experiences that we infer from your Site interactions or that you choose to share; demographic details such as birth date, gender, marital status, employment status, parent status, race or ethnicity, disability status, military status, preferred pronouns, and sexual orientation; information about your dietary habits, exercise activities, and lifestyle; information about your health insurance experiences, including insurance claim denial status, appeal level, and related details you provide when using our interactive tools. We may combine or supplement this information with data obtained from third-party sources.
Communications. Communications or inquiries you submit through email, calls, chat, voicemail, or mobile applications; interactions via social media, polls, quizzes, promotional giveaways, questionnaires, and intake forms; and any related audio recordings.
Social Media Information. We may collect information about your social media accounts, including basic profile information (such as username), user-generated content (such as posts, comments, pages, profiles, or feeds), and associated metadata (such as time and location). We also collect contact details and other information you make public, such as your name, email address, telephone number, employer, profession, age, location, and education.
Online Activity and Device Information. We may collect information about your interactions with our Sites and Services, including:
Site Activity: Information about your online participation on our Sites or communities, your interests, bookmarks, and preferences. Site activity includes your participation in events, programs, and awards posts, activity, interactions, and any other information you choose to share.
Browsing Activity: Information about your visits to the Sites, such as the full URL clickstream to, through and from the Sites or Services, dates and times, and titles of the pages you view. This includes how long you stay on a page, how long you visit other pages, how you interact with the Services (such as clicking a link, scrolling), and how you browse away from the page.
Search Activity: We collect information about content viewed and issues queried while on our Sites or application (for example, search terms used and which search results you view).
Device and Technical Data: Details regarding how and when you use our Sites and Services, including device type, device identifiers, mobile carriers, cookies, IP address, MAC address, browser type and version, operating system, frequency and duration of usage, referring websites, content viewed, and technical performance data (such as page response times and download errors).
Financial and Transaction Information. Payment card details, bank account details, or other payment information (when you make a purchase or receive payment); transaction details including method of payment, billing or shipping addresses, payments received, and transaction history. This information is collected and processed on our behalf by a third-party payment processor.
Marketing Preferences. Details regarding promotional materials or Services you request or receive, receipt of newsletters or other promotional communications, and your preferences regarding email notifications, marketing, cookies, and Site settings.
Location Information. In some cases, we may collect geolocation data (such as city and state) if you provide it or derived from your IP address or mobile device that identifies the location of that device.
Other Information. Any other information we collect that is not listed here will be used as described in this Privacy Notice or as otherwise disclosed at the time it is collected.
How We Collect Your Personal Information.
You are not required to create an account to access our Sites or Services. However, if you do not provide us with certain information, then the Site or Service may not function as intended, or you may not be able to use all features.
We collect your Personal Information in the following ways:
Information You Directly Provide. We collect information from you directly when you choose to provide it to us by filling out forms on our Sites, interacting with community features, creating an account with us, engaging with us or signing up to receive promotional or informational communications from us, communicating with us about our Services, or otherwise directly providing the information to us. When you use our interactive health tools, such as our personalized document generators, we collect the specific health information you submit through those tools, including details about your health condition, symptoms and their severity, functional limitations, mental health impact, current and prior treatments and medications, treatment side effects, and insurance appeal status. This information is collected directly from you through structured prompts within the tool.
Automatically Collected Personal Information. We also collect Personal Information from you automatically when you visit, use, or navigate our Sites and Services.
We and our advertising and business partners use various technologies, including cookies, pixels (also known as web beacons), GIFs, and tags (“Tracking Technologies”) to automatically collect information about Users on our Sites and Services, including our direct marketing email communications. We use log files to track actions occurring on digital properties and to collect data about visitors, including IP addresses, browser type, Internet service provider, referring/exit pages, date/time stamps, and device identifiers. Our Cookie Policy describes these Tracking Technologies in more detail.
Where required by applicable privacy laws, we obtain your consent before using these Tracking Technologies. Such consent for Tracking Technologies is obtained through our Cookie Settings, which allows you to manage your preferences for different categories of cookies and tracking technologies. We treat a Global Privacy Control (“GPC”) signal as a valid request to opt out of the sale or sharing of your Personal Information for the browser from which the signal is sent. To learn more, see the Global Privacy Control section. To exercise your cookie preferences or opt out of targeted advertising cookies, please use Cookie Settings.
Cookie Policy.
Your cookie preferences control the automated data collection on your browser as you visit our Sites. By managing your cookie settings, you can stop advertising partners from placing trackers on your device in the future. Note that this choice is specific to the device and browser you are currently using.
You can set your browser cookie settings as you wish and delete cookies at any time. However, you must accept cookies to use all features of our Services.
Manage Cookies
As mentioned above, we and our partners use Tracking Technologies to collect and disclose information about your interactions with our Sites and Services, including but not limited to the content you view; your browsing and usage patterns; search terms and questions; engagement activities or “signals” (such as likes, shares, bookmarks, and comments); and other usage data. We track and process this activity to understand User preferences, enhance User experience, and provide our Sites and Services. Third parties not affiliated with us may also collect your information, including tracking your browsing history and interactions with ads when using our Services. Third-party collection practices are governed by their own privacy policies. If you wish to reduce such third party collections, adjust your browser’s settings or install plug-ins and add-ins.
In some situations, the third-party technology partners whose tracking technologies are deployed on our Sites may collect your Personal Information instantly or simultaneously with our collection of the same information. These third-party partners are not our Service Providers and may use such Personal Information for their own or others’ purposes in accordance with their own privacy policies. Even if you have disabled or turned off cookies, the pixels, tags, and web beacons we use may still detect and collect certain information about your interaction with our Sites or Services, as these technologies operate independently from cookie settings. Opt-out preferences you submit through our Cookie Settings or a GPC signal will be applied to these technologies to the extent they are used for targeted advertising or for the sale or sharing of Personal Information.
Browser Cookies. A browser cookie is a small file placed on your device’s hard drive. The cookie communicates with our servers or with companies that collect data on our behalf. Cookies recognize your device and track your activities across visits. Unless you adjust your browser settings to refuse all cookies, we will use cookies when you access our Sites or Services. You can use tools available on your computer or device to refuse, disable, or receive alerts for browser cookies being set. But, if you refuse or disable all cookies, you will not be able to use certain features or functions of our Services.
Types of Cookies.
Strictly Necessary Cookies (Always Active). These cookies are necessary for the Site to function and are not used for advertising or profiling purposes. We set strictly necessary cookies in response to actions you take on the Site, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in, or filling out forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the Site will not function properly.
Performance Cookies. These cookies enable us to track Site visits and traffic sources. We use this information in aggregated reports where possible to learn how visitors find and view pages on our Site, which helps us measure and improve Site performance. These cookies may involve online identifiers or device information, so we treat them as Personal Information where required by law. If you disable these cookies, we will not collect this analytical information through those cookies, though this may limit our ability to optimize your experience.
Functional Cookies. These cookies enable enhanced functionality and personalization. We or our third-party service providers may set them. If you disable these cookies, some or all Services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies. We and our advertising partners or service providers set these cookies through our Site based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. Our advertising partners or service providers may use these cookies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant ads on other sites. If you disable these cookies, you will receive less targeted advertising.
Beacons. Our Services and emails contain small electronic files called beacons (also known as web beacons, clear GIFs, pixel tags, or single-pixel GIFs). We use beacons to collect email and website-related statistics, such as tracking the number of Users who visit a page or open an email. We also use beacons in email marketing campaigns to track responses and interests in our content, offerings, and web pages. You can disable these technologies using tools on your computer or device.
Manage Cookies
To exercise your cookie preferences, please use the button above or the link within the Site footer.
Information We Collect from Other Sources.
We collect and combine your Personal Information with data from other sources or third-party sources.
Third-Party Data Sources.
- Data Providers, including data licensors or data brokers, health and medical data providers who provide aggregated health and medical claims data, diagnostic and treatment information, and related health data.
- Consumer Data Providers, who provide data enrichment, audience modeling, and enhanced targeting capabilities.
- Data Management Platforms that securely transfer audience segments and facilitate data distribution.
- Research Partners, such as universities, non-profit organizations, companies, and other relevant organizations, for research and advocacy purposes.
- Health and Medical Claims Data, including diagnosis and procedure codes, treatments, and other related health information. For Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) only, we collect historical prescribing activity.
- Service Providers, such as IT, analytics, measurement, advertising service providers and Ad Networks; we also use vendors to generate leads and customer data platforms.
- Public Records or widely available sources, such as government records and the National Provider Identifier (NPI) public database.
- Social Networks, such as Meta or Google, when you connect third-party network accounts to sign into the Services. This shares your social media account information and content with Health Union. If you use our Services or share information with social media channels, please know that others may read, collect or use your information. By connecting your Site account, you may link your sensitive health interests with your social media profiles in a way that could be used by those platforms.
A Special Note on Our “In America” Surveys.
Our research, including the “In America” survey and other Insights Offerings is one of the most important ways we gather insights. Your participation in these surveys is voluntary. Your participation helps us, our partners, and the entire health community better understand the real-world patient experience.
It is important for you to know that the information from these surveys is a direct and primary source of the data that fuels our analysis and audience development capabilities. We analyze this data to develop the custom advertising programs and audience segments we describe within this Notice.
How We Use Your Personal Information.
We (or our Service Providers acting on our behalf) may use your Personal Information for the following business purposes and as otherwise described when we collect it:
Provide, Maintain, and Improve the Sites and Services. We use your Personal Information to:
- Provide and operate the Sites and Services.
- Create and manage accounts, User Site profiles, and Site experiences.
- Respond to your communications, contact you if necessary or requested, and send you information about Health Union, our Sites, or Services.
- Send you communications such as announcements, updates, security alerts, password resets, support, and other administrative messages. Health Union sends communications via email, Site or social media message or notification, text or SMS message, telephone, and direct mail.
- Administer promotions, events, giveaways, and awards, which may include sharing your contact and address information to fulfill a prize or award.
- Tailor the content, resources, and advertisements you see based on your health interests, community participation, and browsing activity.
- Power interactive tools that generate personalized content for you based on information you provide, such as personal impact statements, emergency information cards, and other personalized health documents. When you use these tools, we process your health information with AI to create documents you can review, edit, and use at your discretion.
Research and Development. We use your Personal Information to:
- Operate and improve the Services. For example, conducting surveys, market research, managing communications, and analyzing our current Services, products and promotions.
- Develop, market, or sell the Services, which includes building more relevant communities, providing tailored advertisements on the Services and other websites, and informing the advertising audiences we create.
- Send you communications about opportunities to participate in research surveys, panel interviews, paid clinical trial opportunities, and more.
- Produce aggregated or de-identified insights for internal use and for our partners.
- We also conduct market research on behalf of our clients and customers, which may offer a paid incentive for your time. These research opportunities will be clearly labeled as “on behalf of a Sponsor” and will have a separate and specific notice for obtaining your consent.
Security and Legal Compliance. We use your Personal Information to:
- Detect and protect against fraud, errors, or criminal activity.
- Prevent, detect, and investigate security incidents and possibly illegal or prohibited activities.
- Resolve disputes and respond to claims that a post or other content violates third-party rights.
- Meet our legal obligations and maintain internal organizational functions, such as for compliance, tax purposes, or for an audit.
- Respond to lawful requests from regulatory and government authorities, law enforcement agencies, and courts.
- Enforce our Terms of Use or otherwise protect our rights.
Marketing and Advertising. We use your Personal Information for:
- Direct Marketing Communications. We use your Personal Information to send you direct marketing communications via physical or electronic mail or SMS. These communications may include news, updates, and other relevant information relating to our Services. You can opt out of receiving marketing emails by clicking the unsubscribe link included at the bottom of our marketing communications or updating your communication preferences in your account profile settings. Even if you opt out of marketing communications, we will continue to send you essential non-marketing communications related to your account, transactions, or required legal notices.
- Site or Community Notifications. If you choose to create an account or join a Site community, we use your Personal Information to send you notifications about Site activity, such as when another User replies to your post or interacts with you on the Site. Site notifications are sent by email and received on-Site. To customize your Site notification settings, visit the notification settings section of your User profile. You can unsubscribe from Site notifications by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email or by contacting helpdesk@health-union.com.
- Interest-Based Advertising. As further detailed in our Business Solutions at https://health-union.com/business-solutions/, we use your Personal Information and Non-Personal Information to:
- Facilitate and display contextual advertisements from third parties on our Sites and Services.
- Engage in targeted advertising on other websites or mobile applications, even if those websites or mobile applications are owned by third parties.
Interest-based advertising (also known as “personalized,” “tailored,” or “targeted” advertising) uses previously collected data about a person, web browser, or device to create customized advertisements based on your interests and preferences. These ads use User attributes, preferences, interests, or intent linked to or inferred about that User, browser, or device. These advertisements can appear on various websites, applications, or devices.
We may use data obtained from data providers, brokers, marketing vendors, and other third parties to supplement the Personal Information you provide to us. We use this combined information for marketing and interest-based advertising services, data services, insights offerings, community sponsorships, influencer marketing solutions, Sponsored Content, and health advocate partnerships. We may also provide aggregated or de-identified patient experience insights through these offerings.
IMPORTANT: The Interest-Based Advertising section does not apply to Users located in the United Kingdom, the European Union (“EU”) or European Economic Area (“EEA”). In compliance with EU and UK privacy laws, including the GDPR and UK GDPR, Health Union does not use cookies, beacons, or similar tracking technologies for targeting or advertising purposes for Users we know to be in the EU, EEA, or UK.
Providing AI-Powered Features. We use your Personal Information to:
- Generate content, information, and provide personalized recommendations based on the data you submit.
- Provide insights to our Business Partners through AI technologies by analyzing public-facing User Content posted by community members across our Sites. This includes forum posts, comments, and other User Content. These AI-driven analyses generate aggregated patient profiles, segmentation insights, and persona profiles that are provided to our Business Partners. This processing is distinct from your voluntary participation in surveys or other research programs; it applies to content you post through ordinary community participation.
How We Share or Disclose Your Personal Information.
This section describes how and why we share or disclose Personal Information with third parties for the purposes described below. To see all the categories of information we share or disclose, please see our Appendix Chart.
Service Providers. We use third-party vendors to operate our business and provide, maintain, and improve the Sites and Services. We provide these vendors access to your Personal Information to perform specific tasks on our behalf, and they are contractually prohibited from using it for their own purposes. These services include i) website hosting and cloud storage, ii) IT and data analytics, iii) system administrators, iv) consent and data subject rights management, v) payment processors, and vi) artificial intelligence and machine learning service providers that process data on our behalf to power interactive tools and generate content. We also use Service Providers to provide certain features through our Sites or Services, such as video, podcasts, or chat technologies.
We also use third-party vendors and advertising or analytics partners, such as email marketing platforms, customer relationship management providers, Google Analytics, Meta, and LinkedIn to i) assist with lead generation, ii) host information relating to potential and current customers or partners, iii) marketing automation, campaigns, and communications, and iv) advertisement placement, targeting, and analytics. Some of these third parties act as Service Providers when they process Personal Information on our behalf, while others may process Personal Information as independent third parties as described in this Notice.
Consumer Directed. We share your information with other parties that you identify through our Sites and Services, at your direction or request. For example, if you request information about a clinical trial, we will share your Personal Information with the clinical trial sponsor as necessary to facilitate your request.
Other Users of our Services. If you choose to post content or engage in our Site communities or Social Health Network, forums, social media pages, or in connection with other community-based features, that content may be visible to other Users. Our Sites are publicly viewable. Use caution when posting and sharing your Personal Information.
Business Partners. We share Personal Information with business partners, including companies or organizations with whom you already have a relationship or are affiliated, such as pharmaceutical and life science companies. These partners process your Personal Information to support co-branded programs, Sponsored Content, and health-related research activities you choose to participate in. We also provide select Business Partners with AI-generated patient segmentation and persona insights derived from Your Content and other User Content, subject to your privacy rights and the state-specific limitations described in this Notice. These outputs may include synthesized demographic, psychographic, and health-related profiles that reflect patterns observed across community discussions. For more information on how we generate these insights, see Our Use of Artificial Intelligence.
Ad Network Partners. To deliver relevant advertising on other websites, applications, and platforms, we share the audience segments we create with a wide range of third-party advertising and technology partners.
Our network of partners includes the following categories, which we periodically review and update to reflect our current business relationships. The specific partners may change from time to time, and we will update this Privacy Notice when required by applicable law:
- Data Management Platforms (DMPs). Services that help us securely transfer our audience segments to the broader advertising ecosystem.
- Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs) and Ad Exchanges. Technology platforms that advertisers use to purchase and manage ad placements across the internet.
- Social Media Platforms. To deliver interest-based advertising and content within their networks.
- Connected TV (CTV), Online Video, and Audio Platforms. To show relevant ads on streaming services and other digital media channels.
Analytics and Measurement Partners. To ensure the accuracy and relevance of the audience segments we create, we work with partners to verify our information. This process may involve comparing our data with external data sources, such as de-identified medical claims data, to confirm that our audience segments meet required quality standards. Analytics partners help us and our clients measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns and Services. We also use data analytics to i) perform specific analyses on Site or client customer data, ii) understand traffic and usage patterns, iii) track marketing conversions, iv) optimize our Sites, and v) lead generation. We also use business intelligence and visualization platforms to process and visualize data for internal analysis.
Reddit Advertising. We use Reddit’s advertising platform to reach individuals who may benefit from our health communities. Our Reddit advertising activities include the following:
- Lead Generation Ads. When you submit a lead generation form through a Health Union advertisement on Reddit, Reddit transfers your name and email address to Health Union. We use this information to enroll you in the applicable community email program and to send you marketing materials, including health information and community updates.
- Audience Targeting. We share pseudonymous audience segments with Reddit through LiveRamp to deliver relevant advertisements. These segments consist of hashed identifiers or RampIDs and do not contain plain-language health-condition labels; however, audience membership may reflect health-related interests or inferences.
- Conversion Tracking. We use Reddit’s conversion tracking tools on select, non-condition-specific pages to measure ad performance. These tools may collect IP address, browser information, and page-visit data. Where required by law, these tools activate only after you provide consent.
- For more information about Reddit’s data practices, see Reddit’s Privacy Policy at https://www.reddit.com/policies/privacy-policy.
Affiliates, Related Entities, Investors, Operational Partners.
As stated above, when you interact with a Health Union Site or Service, your Personal Information is available to each of our business divisions and operating brands or Sites.
Professional Advisors. We may share your Personal Information with our professional advisors, which include lawyers, accountants, licensed medical professionals, and other similar professional advisors.
Buyers or Business Transferees. We may share your Personal Information with acquiring and other relevant parties (and their advisors) to business transactions (or potential transactions) involving a corporate divestiture, merger, consolidation, change in control, acquisition, reorganization, sale or other disposition of all or any portion of the business or assets of, or equity interests in, Health Union (including, in connection with a bankruptcy, reorganization, liquidation or similar proceedings).
Regulatory and Governmental Authorities. As necessary to comply with applicable laws and regulations, respond to a subpoena, search warrant, or other lawful request for information, or to otherwise protect our rights, we may disclose your Personal Information to regulatory and government authorities, law enforcement agencies, and courts.
Protection of Rights, Property, or Safety. When we have a good faith belief that access, use, preservation, or disclosure of such Personal Information is reasonably necessary as required or permitted by law, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Health Union, its clients, Users, or the public. We share your information to enforce, defend, or advance our agreements with you, as well as with our clients and partners.
Non-Personal Information We Share or Disclose.
As stated above, we aggregate, de-identify, or anonymize your Personal Information in accordance with applicable legal standards and industry best practices. We use this data to create insights, analytics, and data products that we provide to our Business Partners to help them better understand patient experiences and healthcare trends.
We may share aggregated, de-identified, or anonymized information about use of our Sites and Services with advertising and analytics partners. We do not treat information as Non-Personal Information if it can reasonably be linked to an individual or household. We share or make available Non-Personal Information, including aggregated or anonymized data:
- With analytics, search engines, or other Service Providers that help us provide, deliver, and improve our Services.
- To report to our affiliates, licensors and Service Providers, advertising partners, and ad networks about the use of various aspects of the Services.
- With other Users or prospective Users of the Services; and
- To advertisers and advertising networks, and data service providers, to create, select, and show relevant advertisements.
When we share hashed or pseudonymous identifiers for advertising or measurement, we treat those identifiers as Personal Information unless applicable law provides otherwise; hashing alone is not treated as de-identification. We prohibit re-identification attempts where required or appropriate and require partners to maintain appropriate security measures.
Information of Healthcare Professionals (“HCPs”).
Health Union provides advertising Services for our partners who want to reach HCPs. Depending on how you use the Services, you may directly provide us with your National Provider Identifier (“NPI”), job title, professional qualifications, certifications and credentials, medical license number, specialty or area of practice, and affiliation with a medical facility or organization. We also collect professional information about HCPs from public sources and third-party data providers.
How We Use HCP Information.
Combining Professional and Personal Data. We maintain a proprietary database of HCPs and may combine that professional information (like your specialty or NPI number) with information about your online activity to display relevant medical-related ads. This allows us to reach medical professionals in both professional (“white coat”) and personal (“blue jean”) moments.
User Trends Inform HCP Ads. We may also analyze anonymized, high-level trends from our Sites to help optimize advertising. For example, if we see a surge of User interest in a new type of treatment, we may use those insights combined with medical claims data to inform advertising campaigns directed at relevant HCPs. Where required by law or contract, we may also process and share HCP compensation data to facilitate our partners’ compliance with legal obligations, such as the Physician Payments Sunshine Act or Open Payments (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7h).
Information of Health or Patient Leaders.
Our relationship with Health or Patient Leaders is governed by a separate agreement and Supplemental Terms of Use. Health and Patient Leaders may provide us with a resume or curriculum vitae, education or certification details, social media channels, financial account information, or professional information. As part of that partnership, we collect information from your public profile, content, and contact information. This includes any data related to our Health Leader Certification Program, the Social Health Network community, and Patient Leadership Council.
Our Use of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”).
We do not use AI to make automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects, such as decisions about your eligibility for services, credit, insurance, or employment.
We use AI and Machine Learning technologies or tools for productivity purposes, content creation, and to support our operations. We also use AI to power interactive tools on our Sites that generate personalized content based on information you provide. When you use these tools, the information you submit is processed by AI on an individual basis and is not limited to aggregated or de-identified data.
Certain interactive tools on our Sites use AI to generate personalized content based on your inputs; however, the output of these tools is provided to you for your review and use, and you control whether and how to use it. When you interact with these tools, your inputs and interactions are processed to generate a response.
AI-Driven Patient Insights. Health Union uses AI, including large language model technology provided through enterprise agreements, to process User Content posted in our online health communities. Through this processing, we generate persona profiles and AI-driven segmentation outputs that reflect demographic, psychographic, and health-related characteristics of community participants. These AI-generated outputs are provided to select business partners for purposes of patient engagement research, audience segmentation, and health communications planning.
AI-Driven Profiling. Health Union uses AI to analyze public-facing community User Content and generate persona profiles and segmentation outputs, as described in the AI-Driven Patient Insights section above. This profiling does not make automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects concerning you, as defined under applicable privacy laws.
Large Language Model Training. We do not collect, use, share, or sell your Personal Information for the purpose of training large language models. Our contractual agreements include restrictions that prohibit our Service Providers from using customer data to train their models without our permission. All AI processing occurs through our enterprise accounts, which are subject to this restriction.
Other AI Uses. Health Union also uses AI tools to analyze aggregated and de-identified data for research, advertising, internal analytics, content optimization, and community experience improvements, such as analyzing responses to our surveys to create our offerings. These tools help us identify patterns, trends, and insights for market research purposes. These Services are for informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Links to Third-Party Sites.
Some Services, content, and advertisements on our Sites are hosted on or linked to Third-Party Sites. Health Union does not control, endorse, or assume any responsibility for Third-Party Sites, including their content, privacy practices, or security measures. Your use of Third-Party Sites is entirely at your own risk and subject to their respective terms and policies. Third-Party Site privacy policies apply if you provide Personal Information to Third-Party Sites. Please be aware that if you click on or interact with an advertisement on our Site, the advertiser may still assume that you meet its target criteria, even though we have not shared your Personal Information.
Google Analytics.
We use Google Analytics to analyze the audience of the Services and improve the performance of our Sites and content. For more information on how Google Analytics collects and processes data, please visit https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners. Google Analytics and our third-party vendors (including Google) may use this information to display relevant ads through remarketing services based on your previous interactions with our Services. Once the visitor leaves the Services, custom advertisements appear on a Google search results page or other web pages. You may set your Google advertising settings by visiting Google’s Ad settings at https://www.google.com/settings/ads. You can opt out of the Google Analytics Advertising Features by visiting https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
How We Respond to “Do Not Track” Signals.
Our Sites do not currently respond to or support “Do Not Track” browser signals. Some internet browsers can be configured to send “Do Not Track” signals to websites or services you visit. However, “Do Not Track” features aren’t uniform across browsers and industry participants disagree on what “Do Not Track” means in this context.
Automated Privacy Control (Global Privacy Control).
We treat a Global Privacy Control (“GPC”) signal as a valid request to opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of your Personal Information and the processing of your Personal Information for targeted advertising for the browser from which it is sent. When we detect a GPC signal, we suppress targeting cookies and cease sharing your Personal Information with advertising partners for that browser or device. To learn more about GPC, visit https://globalprivacycontrol.org. If you enable GPC, your preferences will only apply to the browser or device you are currently using to interact with our Sites or Services and not to other devices or browsers. If you use a different browser or device, you will need to enable GPC to ensure your preferences are recognized in connection with the browser or device you’re using.
Digital Advertising Alliance.
Health Union (and some of our third-party advertisers and display networks) take part in the Digital Advertising Alliance’s Self-Regulatory Program for Online Behavioral Advertising and Self-Regulatory Program for Multi-Site Data. This allows consumers to opt out of targeted advertising based on web activity tracking. For more information, visit https://www.aboutads.info/choices. However, even if you opt out of targeted advertising based on web activity tracking, you still will receive standard advertisements from us and third parties. If you delete cookies or similar technologies or use a different computer, device, or browser, you will likely need to re-click the link and follow the provided instructions. For information on managing cookies on our Sites, see Cookie Policy.
Children’s Privacy.
Our Services are not intended for children or individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect Personal Information from individuals under 18 years of age. If we learn that we have inadvertently collected Personal Information from someone under 18, we will promptly delete such information. Individuals under 18 should not attempt to provide us with any Personal Information. If you think we have received Personal Information from individuals under the age of 18, please contact us immediately at privacy@health-union.com. By registering for an account or submitting any Personal Information to us, you represent and warrant that you are 18 years of age or older.
Security.
We implement industry-standard technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect your information. Nevertheless, no Internet data transmission or storage is ever guaranteed entirely secure. It may be possible for third parties not under Health Union’s control to intercept or access transmissions or communications. If we experience a security incident involving your information, we will provide notices required by applicable law, including the FTC Health Breach Notification Rule if it applies. Please protect your information by carefully selecting and protecting your password. Limit access to your computer, device, and browser. Always sign out of your account when finished. FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON OUR SECURITY PRACTICES, VISIT OUR HEALTH UNION TRUST CENTER AT https://security.health-union.com.
Data Retention.
We retain your Personal Information and Sensitive Personal Information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. We maintain specific retention schedules for different categories of information and regularly review and delete data that is no longer needed. The criteria used to determine our retention periods include i) the purpose for which the information was collected, ii) the length of time you have an account with us, iii) applicable legal obligations and dispute-resolution needs, and iv) privacy requests we receive, subject to lawful exceptions.
Your Privacy Rights and Choices.
Our Process for Privacy Rights Requests.
You are not required to create an account with us to submit a verifiable consumer request. However, we consider requests made through your password-protected account sufficiently verified when the request relates to Personal Information associated with that specific account. If you have an account with us, we will deliver our written response to that account. If you do not have an account with us, we will deliver our written response by mail or electronically, at your option.
We will confirm receipt of your request within ten (10) business days. If you do not receive confirmation within that timeframe, please contact privacy@health-union.com.
We will respond to your request within 45 days after receipt. If your request is complex or you have submitted multiple requests, we may extend the response time by an additional 45 days when reasonably necessary. If an extension is needed, we will notify you of the extension and the reason for it within the first 45-day period and keep you updated throughout the process.
You may designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf. If you do so, we may require proof of your identification, the authorized agent’s proof of identification, and any other information that we may need to verify the request, including evidence of valid permission for the authorized agent to act on your behalf. We cannot process your request if you do not provide us with sufficient detail to allow us to understand and respond to it.
To process your privacy request, we may need to confirm your identity. We typically request additional information from you to confirm your identity, which may include, but is not limited to, your email address, mailing address, account name, and the date of your last interaction with us. This security measure protects against inadvertent disclosure and is required under applicable privacy laws. We use the Personal Information you provide only to verify your identity and complete your request. If you are unable to provide sufficient information to verify your identity, we may be unable to process your request. In such cases, we will notify you and, where possible, provide guidance on alternative verification methods. You may also contact us at privacy@health-union.com to discuss alternative verification options.
You will not be charged a fee to access your Personal Information or exercise your privacy rights. However, as permitted by applicable law, we may charge a reasonable administrative fee if your requests are manifestly unfounded, excessive, or repetitive. We will notify you of any applicable fees before proceeding with your request.
If there are any conflicts between this section and any other provision of this Privacy Notice and the applicable law of your jurisdiction, the more protective provision shall control to the extent of such conflict.
Your Privacy Rights.
At Health Union, the data we disclose for targeted advertising, sales, and sharing is generally the same regardless of how different state laws categorize these practices, subject to the Consumer Health Data limitations for Maryland, Nevada, and Washington residents and any other state-specific limitations described in this Notice.
- The Right to Know/Access. You can request the following information about how we have collected and used your Personal Information:
- the categories of Personal Information we collected;
- the categories of sources from which we collected Personal Information;
- the business or commercial purpose for collecting, selling, or sharing (as applicable) that Personal Information;
- the categories of third parties to whom we disclose Personal Information; and
- a copy of the Personal Information that we collected about you in a portable, readily usable and machine-readable format.
- The Right to Correct/Rectify. You can request that we correct inaccurate Personal Information that we maintain about you.
- The Right to Delete/Erase. You can request that we delete the Personal Information we collected from you. When we delete Personal Information, we use commercially reasonable efforts to remove it from our active systems. However, some information may remain in backup systems or archives for legal, regulatory, or technical reasons. Please note that, as stated in our Terms of Use, certain User Content may remain on our Sites in anonymized form even after account deletion; such anonymized content continues to be governed by our Terms of Use.
- The Right to Restrict Processing. You can request that we restrict our processing of your Personal Information in certain circumstances, subject to applicable law.
- The Right to Opt-Out of Targeted Advertising. You have the right to opt out of “targeted advertising” under applicable state law. We will also honor opt-out preferences transmitted through Universal Opt-Out Mechanisms (“UOOMs”) as a valid means to opt-out of targeted advertising.
- The Right to Opt-Out of Sales/Sharing. If we “sell” or “share” your Personal Information, you can opt out. While we do not “sell” your Personal Information to third parties in exchange for money, we “sell” your Personal Information, as described by the CCPA and other applicable privacy laws, for other valuable consideration. We also “share” your Personal Information, as described by the CCPA, for purposes of cross-context behavioral advertising. If you direct us not to sell or share your Personal Information, we will also consider your direction to be a request pursuant to California’s “Shine the Light” law to stop sharing your Personal Information covered by that law with third parties for their direct marketing purposes.
- The Right to Data Portability. You have the right to obtain your Personal Information in a portable, and to the extent technically feasible, readily usable format that allows you to transmit the data to another entity.
- The Right to Limit Processing of Sensitive Personal Information. You have the right to ask that we limit how we process your Sensitive Personal Information, subject to exceptions.
- The Right to Withdraw Consent. Where we process your Personal Information based on consent (including direct marketing consents), you have the right to withdraw consent at any time. In case of a withdrawal, we may continue to use your Personal Information as permitted or required by law.
- The Right to Nondiscrimination. You are entitled to exercise the rights described above without receiving discriminatory treatment.
- The Right to Appeal. You may appeal our decision to your request regarding your Personal Information. To do so, please contact us in any of the ways listed below. We respond to all appeal requests as soon as we reasonably can, and no later than legally required. You may also file a complaint with the state attorney general or equivalent regulatory authority. A directory of state attorney general offices is available at https://www.naag.org/find-my-ag/.
To exercise any of the above rights, please contact privacy@health-union.com or submit a Privacy Rights Request Form.
NOTICE TO RESIDENTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA
This section only applies if you are a resident of the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area (collectively, “UK/EEA Residents”). Health Union, LLC is the data controller for the Personal Information or personal data of UK/EEA Residents collected through the Services under the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and, for UK residents, the UK GDPR.
Legal Bases for Processing.
The legal grounds upon which we rely to use or process the personal data of UK/EEA Residents are:
- you provided your consent for a particular purpose (for example, where you have given us your consent to participate in research surveys or receive electronic marketing);
- to fulfill our contractual obligations to you, including to provide the Sites and Services;
- to comply with a legal obligation (for example, responding to government or law enforcement information requests); and
- the processing is necessary for our legitimate interests or those of a third party, provided we have balanced these against your rights and interests.
Where we process special categories of personal data of UK/EEA Residents (such as data concerning health), we do so on the basis of your explicit consent or another condition permitted under Article 9 of the GDPR or UK GDPR.
Our Legitimate Interests.
Our legitimate interests for using or processing the personal data of UK/EEA Residents are to:
- effectively administer and manage our business;
- ensure effective administration and management of your relationship with us, including providing our Sites and Services;
- understand how our community members use our Sites and Services and to manage our Services;
- carry out research and analysis on what services or content our community members want or how they would like us to improve our Sites and Services;
- understand and respond to community member inquiries and feedback;
- ensure our systems and premises are secure;
- develop relationships with business partners;
- prevent, detect, or investigate unauthorized use of our Services and ensure we comply with the law and our policies; and
- manage any dispute and take legal or other professional advice.
As a UK/EEA Resident, you have the right to challenge our legitimate interest in using or processing your personal data. However, we may be entitled to continue processing your personal information based on our legitimate interests or where this is relevant to legal claims. You also have the right to object where we are processing your personal information for direct marketing purposes. To exercise your rights, please submit your privacy rights request via the Privacy Rights Request Form or contact us at privacy@health-union.com.
Data Transfers.
The personal data we collect from you may be transferred to and stored by our organization or our affiliates, or IT vendors and other service providers who operate on our behalf in the United States. We also transfer information to several business application providers, such as CRM and marketing applications, as well as marketing service providers. These providers are primarily based in the United States but also have operations in other jurisdictions.
In certain cases, there may not be an adequacy decision by the European Commission and/or United Kingdom authorities in connection with potentially applicable transfers. Adequacy of data protection is instead ensured by Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission in accordance with Article 46(2)(c) of the General Data Protection Regulation, or any equivalent clauses approved by the authorities in the United Kingdom including any additional safeguards as required by EU/UK data protection laws that we have in place with that third party.
Data Retention.
We retain your Personal Information for as long as necessary for the purpose(s) for which it was initially collected. The criteria we use to determine the retention period are as follows:
- whether there are contractual or legal obligations that exist which require us to retain the information for a period of time;
- whether there is a legal claim that relates to any business (or otherwise) relationship you have with us, or that is otherwise related to your relationship with us; and
- whether any applicable law, statute, or regulation allows for a specific retention period.
How to Contact Us.
If you are a UK/EEA Resident, you may contact our Data Protection Officer with any issues or questions you have regarding our processing of your personal data using the contact details below.
Health Union, LLC
Attn: Privacy Officer
1218 Chestnut St. 3rd Floor
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107
privacy@health-union.com
You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection issues (Tel: 0303 123 1113 or at www.ico.org.uk).
Alternatively, you can also complain to the supervisory authority in the Member State of the EU or EEA where you reside. We would appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns before you approach the ICO or a supervisory authority, so please do not hesitate to contact us.
Changes to this Privacy Notice.
We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time. Please periodically review this Notice for the latest information on our privacy practices. We will notify you of any material changes to this Notice and obtain your consent where required by applicable law before such changes take effect. If you do not accept the updated terms, you should discontinue use of the Services.
Contact Us.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your privacy or our Privacy Notice, please contact us at
Health Union, LLC
Attn: Privacy Team
1218 Chestnut St. 3rd Floor
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107
privacy@health-union.com
Accessibility.
This Notice is designed to be accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you need help understanding this Notice or need this Notice in an alternative format, please contact us at privacy@health-union.com and we will work with you to provide the information in a format that meets your needs.
