Privacy policy

Information collection

“Personal Data” is data that identifies you as an individual or relates to an identifiable individual.  We collect Personal Data in various ways, including through registrations, applications, surveys, contact forms, in connection with your inquiries, and automatically when you browse our Site.   
 
We may request basic Personal Data when you use a Site. Personal Data that we may request could include name, preferred language, contact details (such as postal address, telephone numbers, email address), interests, information about specialty and affiliation for healthcare professionals. 

We may combine the Personal Data you submit with other information we have collected from you, whether on or offline. We may also combine it with information we receive about you from the following other sources such as publicly accessible databases, social media platforms and other third parties.

You will be informed what Personal Data is required and what Personal Data is optional. When you are asked to provide Personal Data, you may decline. But if you choose not to provide data that is necessary to for us to provide requested services, we may not be able to provide you those services.  

If you submit any Personal Data relating to another individual to us, you represent that you have the authority to do so and to permit us to use the information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. 

Sensitive personal data

Unless we specifically request or invite it, we ask that you do not send us, and you not disclose, any sensitive Personal Data as defined by applicable law (e.g. Social Security numbers, credit card number, passport number, information related to racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religion or philosophical beliefs, health, sex life or sexual orientation, criminal background, or trade union membership, or biometric or genetic data for the purpose of uniquely identifying an individual) on or through the Site or otherwise to us. 

Use by minors

The Site is not directed to individuals under the age of 16, and we request that these individuals do not provide Personal Data through the Site. If your child has submitted Personal Data and you would like to request that such Personal Data be removed, please contact us as explained below under Contacting Us.

Passive information collection and use

Passive information collection (that is, collecting information without the visitor actively providing it) usually occurs while a visitor navigates the Site.

Cookies are a standard feature of websites that allow us to store small amounts of data on your computer about your visit to our Site. Cookies help us learn which areas of the Site are useful and which areas need improvement.

A "cookie" is a bit of information that a Web site sends to your Web browser that helps the site remember information about you and your preferences.

“Session” cookies are temporary bits of information that are used to improve navigation, block visitors from providing information where inappropriate (the site “remembers” previous entries of age or country of origin that were outside the specified parameters and blocks subsequent changes), and collect aggregate statistical information on the site. They are erased once you exit your Web browser or otherwise turn off your computer.

"Persistent" cookies are more permanent bits of information that are placed on the hard drive of your computer and stay there unless you delete the cookie. Persistent cookies store information on your computer for a number of purposes, such as retrieving certain information you have previously provided (such as passwords), helping to determine what areas of the Web site visitors find most valuable, and customizing the Web site based on your preferences on an ongoing basis. Persistent cookies placed by this site on your computer may hold Personal Data, but only if you have registered or have otherwise consented to the retention of Personal Data you have provided at the site. Otherwise, our site’s server only knows that an unidentified visitor with your cookie has returned to the site.

You can choose to block the use of cookies through your browser. If you do not want to accept cookies, your browser can be set so that you automatically deny cookies storage or inform each time a site requests a cookie to be stored. Through the browser, previously stored cookies can also be deleted. See the browser's help pages for more information. Please refer to http://www.allaboutcookies.org/manage-cookies/index.html for information on commonly used browsers. However, if you choose not to accept cookies, it may limit the features available to you on our websites.

We and our service providers may also automatically collect and use information in the following ways:

Through your browser: Certain information is collected by most browsers, such as your Media Access Control (MAC) address, computer type (Windows or Mac), screen resolution, operating system name and version, and Internet browser type and version. We may collect similar information, such as your device type and identifier, if you access the Site through a mobile device. We use this information to ensure that the Site functions properly.

IP address: Your IP address is identified and logged automatically in our server log files whenever a user visits the Site, along with the time of the visit and the pages visited. We use partially masked IP addresses for purposes such as calculating Site usage levels, diagnosing server problems and administering the site. We may also derive your approximate location from your partially masked IP address (two-byte anonymization).

Device Information: We may collect information from the device (device type, operating system, screen resolution, language, country you are located in, and web browser type) you used during your visit.

Manage cookies used on this website

To manage the cookies used on this website, open the Cookies Settings dialog in the OneTrust Privacy Preference Center.

List of cookies used on this website

To see a list of cookies used on this website, open the Cookies Declaration page.

How we use your Personal Data

We use and disclose Personal Data you provide to us as described to you at the point of collection and notably to:

Provide Site functionality and fulfill your requests when we have a contractual relationship or a legitimate interest. This includes:

• To provide customer service to you
• To respond to your inquiries and fulfill your requests and complete your transactions.
• To send administrative information to you, such as changes to our terms, conditions and policies, as well as marketing communications that we believe may be of interest to you. 
• To facilitate social sharing functionality.

Provide personalized services when we have your consent or a legitimate interest in providing you with information of interest to you. This includes:

• To better understand you and personalize our interactions with you.
• To analyze or predict our users’ preferences in order to identify aggregated trend reports on how our Sites are used.
• To analyze or predict your preferences in order to improve our interactions with you, i.e., to deliver you the content, products and offers (via our Site, emails or digital tools) that we believe will be relevant to your professional interests.

Engage with you as an HCP when we have a contractual relationship or a legitimate interest. This includes:

• To verify your eligibility to access certain products, services and data that may be provided only to certain licensed HCPs.
• To interact with you based on your professional expertise and opinion by digital or other means. 
• To involve you in programs/panels of healthcare professionals.
• To involve you  in the context of surveys relating to our products or services or those of a Fresenius Medical Care affiliate or business partner
• To collaborate with you on medical events, publications, or advisory meetings.
• To seek your views on products and services promoted by us or a Fresenius Medicare Affiliate or business partner for development and improvement purposes.

Allow you to participate in special programs, activities, events, or promotions as part of our contractual relationship with you or where we have a legitimate interest. 

Operate our business to comply with our legal obligations and to meet our legitimate interests in maintaining our business. This includes:

• To conduct data analysis and audits.
• To identify usage trends in the use of our Sites and analyze the effectiveness of our communications.
• To detect, prevent, investigate fraud and including (cyber) security monitoring and prevention.
• To develop, enhance, improve or modify our products and services. 
• To validate your ability to access or use certain products or services.
• To better understand how our products and services impact you and those for whom you care. 
• To track and respond to concerns, including engaging in regulatory monitoring and reporting obligations related to adverse events, product complaints and patient safety.
• To operate and expand our business activities.

How we disclose your Personal Data

We also disclose information collected through the Site:

• To other Fresenius Medical Care affiliates for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy or based on your request (e.g. via our contact form). To access a list of Fresenius Medical Care affiliates please click here. To our third party partners with whom we cooperate with which we collaborate regarding particular products or services;
• To our third party service providers to provide services such as website / application hosting and moderating, data analysis, payment processing, order fulfillment, infrastructure provision, IT services, customer service, e mail and direct mail delivery services, auditing, and other services; and
• As permitted by applicable law, to a third party in the event of any reorganization, merger, sale, joint venture, assignment, transfer, or other disposition of all or any portion of our business, assets, or stock (including in connection with any bankruptcy or similar proceedings).

In addition, we may use and disclose your information as we believe to be necessary or appropriate:

• To protect our rights, privacy, safety, or property, and/or that of our affiliates, you, or others;
• To comply with applicable law and our regulatory monitoring and reporting obligations (which may include laws outside your country of residence), to respond to requests from public and government authorities (which may include authorities outside your country of residence), to cooperate with law enforcement, or for other legal reasons;
• To enforce our terms and conditions.

We may also use and disclose your information in other ways, after obtaining your consent to do so.

In addition, where allowed by applicable law, we may use and disclose information that is not in personally identifiable form for any purpose. If we combine information that is not in personally identifiable form with information that is identifiable (such as combining your name with your geographical location), we will treat the combined information as Personal Data as long as it is combined.

Choices and access

Your choices regarding our use and disclosure of your Personal Data for marketing purposes

If you registered for any newsletter or other marketing material/ information and you no longer want to receive marketing communications from us, you can unsubscribe by clicking on the unsubscribe link in each email that you receive. We will seek to comply with your request(s) as soon as reasonably practicable.

Your choices regarding our sharing of your Personal Data with affiliates or third party partners

If you would prefer that we do not share your Personal Data on a going forward basis with our affiliates and / or third party partners for their marketing purposes, you may opt-out of this sharing by contacting us using the contact details below in the “Contact us” section of this page.

How you can access, change, or delete your Personal Data

If you would like to review, correct, update, restrict, or delete your Personal Data, or if you would like to request to receive an electronic copy of your Personal Data for purposes of transmitting it to another company (to the extent these rights are provided to you by applicable law), please contact us using the contact details below in the “Contact us” section of this page. We will respond to your request as soon as reasonably practicable and no later than one month after receipt. If circumstances cause any delay in our response, you will be promptly notified and provided a date for our response.

Cross border transfer

Your Personal Data may be stored and processed in any country where we have facilities or service providers, and by using our Site or by providing consent to us (where required by law), your Personal Data may be transferred to countries outside of your country of residence, including to countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA), which may provide for different data protection rules than in your country.

Some EEA countries are recognized by the European Commission as providing an adequate level of data protection according to EEA standards (the full list of these countries is available here. For transfers from the EEA to countries not considered adequate by the European Commission, we are committed to ensure that adequate measures are in place, including by ensuring that the recipient is either bound by EU Standard Contractual Clauses or an EU-approved code of conduct or certification, to protect your Personal Data. You may obtain a copy of these measures by contacting us in accordance with the “Contact Us” section below.

Security

We take appropriate measures to protect Personal Data that are consistent with applicable privacy and data security laws and regulations, including requiring service providers to use appropriate measures to protect the confidentiality and security of Personal Data.

Retention period

We retain your Personal Data for as long as needed or permitted in light of the purpose(s) for which it was obtained and of applicable legal requirements. The criteria used to determine our retention periods include: (i) the length of time we have an ongoing relationship with you and provide the Site to you; (ii) whether there is a legal obligation to which we are subject; and (iii) whether retention is advisable in light of our legal position (such as in regard to applicable statutes of limitations, litigation, or regulatory investigations).

Third party sites and services

This Privacy Policy does not address, and we are not responsible for, the data collection, use, disclosure or security practices, or other practices, of any third party, including any third party operating a service to which the Site links and the use of cookies which may in turn be saved on your computer’s hard drive. The inclusion of a link within the Site does not imply our endorsement of the linked service and access to external links is at your own risk and we cannot be held liable for any damages or implications caused by visiting any external links mentioned. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of every website you visit.

This Site uses social bookmarks (e.g. from Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Linkedin). Social bookmarks allow users to share links and news messages. We only included a link to the respective social network on our website. After clicking on the integrated graphic your data will be transferred to the respective provider. In case you are already logged in in the social network, data might be connected directly with your account by clicking on the graphic. For information on the handling of your Personal Data when using these linked services, please refer to the respective Social network's privacy policy.

Downloads & media files

Any downloadable documents, files or media made available on the Site are provided at your own risk. While all precautions have been undertaken to ensure only genuine downloads are available, you are advised to verify their authenticity using third party antivirus software or similar applications. We accept no responsibility for third party downloads and downloads provided by external third party websites and advise you to verify their authenticity using third party antivirus software or similar applications.

Contact us

If you have any questions, comments, requests, or concerns related to this Privacy Policy or the information practices of this Site, or if you would like to opt out of future communications, please contact us as follows:

Fresenius Medical Care AG 
Else-Kröner-Str. 1
61352 Bad Homburg
Germany

You may also contact our data protection officer in case of any question using the following email:
datenschutzbeauftragter(at)freseniusmedicalcare.com

Alternatively, send us a message using the contact form on this website.

Lodging a complaint with a regulator

You may lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority competent for your country or region. Please click here for contact information for such authorities.

Updates to this Privacy Policy

We may change this Privacy Policy. Any changes to this Privacy Policy will become effective when we post the revised Privacy Policy on the Site. We recommend that you regularly review the Privacy Policy when you visit the Site. This policy was last updated on 30th November 2023.