Online Privacy & Cookie Policy

Effective Date of this Privacy Policy: 18th May 2018

At Abbott we are committed to protecting the online privacy of visitors to our websites. This Privacy & Cookie 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 websites controlled by Abbott and which link to this Privacy & Cookie Policy (together referred to as "Abbott website(s)"). This Privacy & Cookie policy also describes the collection of certain other types of technical and web browsing information through the use of ‘cookies’ and related technologies on Abbott websites.

Unless otherwise specifically noted, this Privacy & Cookie Policy does not apply to personal information collected from you offline, to Abbott websites that do not link to this Privacy Policy, to residents of the United States, or to third-party websites to which Abbott Web Sites may provide a link. Your use of Abbott websites is subject to this Privacy & Cookie Policy and the online Terms of Use.

Please read this Privacy & Cookie Policy before using Abbott websites or submitting personal information to us.

What is "personal information" as referred to 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 websites. Examples of personal information include your name, your postal address, your e-mail address and your telephone number. Such information is only collected from you if you voluntarily submit it to Abbott.

How does Abbott collect information online?

Abbott collects information in two ways:

Personal Information voluntarily submitted by you:
Abbott collects personal information that you enter into data forms on Abbott websites. For example, you may submit your name, postal address, e-mail address, and/or other information in order to receive information about various products, topics or promotions, register for Abbott services, contact Abbott customer service, or participate in Abbott surveys. If you choose to provide personal information through our websites, we will collect and retain that information in an accessible form. To protect your privacy, you should not provide Abbott with any personal information that is not specifically requested.

Passive Collection of Non-Personal Information & use of ‘Cookies’:
Abbott websites log certain non-personal ‘technical’ information about your visits to Abbott websites without you actively submitting such information. Information logged is confined to the following items:

the visitors IP address
the type of web browser and operating system used by the website visitor
the ISP used by the visitor
the top-level domain name used (e.g. .ie, .com, .org, .net)
the URL of the previous website from which you accessed the Abbott website, including any search terms used
clickstream data which indicates the traffic of visitors around the website (e.g. sections and pages accessed and documents downloaded)

This information is collected using various technologies, such as ‘cookies’, and ‘web beacons’.

Cookies are small data files that are automatically sent from a web server to your browser and stored on your computer. Cookies can only be read by the server that sent it to your web browser. Web beacons (also referred to as GIF files, pixels or Internet tags) may be used by web servers to identify a unique cookie on your browser, recognise you as a previous visitor to our website, and collect anonymous information about your visit.

We use such passive information collection technologies to

make your use of Abbott websites easier and to provide visitors with a better service and a richer user experience
customise Abbott websites based on user interests or preferences
compile statistics, analyse trends, and otherwise gain a better understanding of how users engage with Abbott websites to help us improve the design, organisation and performance of our websites

Certain features of Abbott websites may not work without use of passive information collection technologies.

Information collected by these technologies cannot be used to personally identify you without additional ‘identifiable’ information. Abbott will not connect additional identifiable information with information collected through the use of such passive tracking technologies.

The use of Cookies and Web Beacons does not in any way compromise the security of your computer.

To find out more about cookies visit www.allaboutcookies.org.

To learn how to limit or disable tracking technologies, please refer to the section below entitled “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 handle your personal information strictly in accordance with Irish Data Protection Law (Data Protection Acts 1988 & 2003). Abbott use the personal information you provide through Abbott websites to respond in a timely manner to your requests and to provide you with efficient customer service. When you have entered personal information into a form or data field on an Abbott website, Abbott may use certain identifying technologies to allow that Abbott website to "remember" your personal information in order to avoid your need to re-enter the same information on a subsequent visit. We will only use your personal information for other business purposes if you have provided us with your prior opt-in for services such as, the opportunity to receive notices regarding Abbott’s products or services, to invite you to participate in surveys about Abbott products, or to notify you about special promotions.

Does Abbott consolidate personal information?

Abbott may consolidate the personal information that a customer provides on one Abbott website with the personal information provided by that customer on another Abbott website. In addition, we may combine information that you provide to us online with our offline records. We use such consolidated information in a non-identifiable form (aggregate/anonymous data) to help us better design Abbott websites and our products, to enhance our marketing and research activities, and to facilitate other business functions.

What choices do I have about how Abbott collects personal information and our use of cookies and other tracking technologies?

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 websites. However, some of our online services can only be provided to you if you provide us with appropriate personal information that enables us to respond. Other parts of Abbott websites may ask whether you wish to opt into our contact lists for offers, promotions and additional services that may be of interest to you.

On some Abbott websites you may be asked to explicitly consent to the use of cookies or you can choose to enable or disable the use of cookies and other tracking technologies. If you choose to disable cookies, the functionality of the site may be reduced and features such as ‘remembering’ your details will cease to function. Cookies that are essential to the operation of the site and to the provision of the web services you have requested will continue to function regardless of whether you have consented to use cookies.

Most Internet browsers (e.g. Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Netscape, Chrome), allow you to manage your own Cookie preferences and to limit or disable the use of cookies and other tracking technologies that collect unidentifiable information. Refer to the ‘Tools’ or ‘Help' sections in your internet browser to personalise your cookie settings including how to see what cookies have been set and how to manage and delete them. You should be aware that if you block cookies completely many websites will not work properly and some functionality on these websites may not work at all. For these reasons we do not recommend turning cookies off when using our websites.

Who will have access to personal information about me?

Personal information can be accessed only 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 on behalf of Abbott. Our employees are trained about the importance of privacy and how to manage customer data appropriately and securely and in compliance with Irish Data Protection Law. Where required by applicable law, it is Abbott’s practice to seek your consent if you are registering for a service that 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 solely to perform functions on behalf of Abbott.

Does Abbott disclose personal information to third parties?

Abbott handles all personal information in accordance with Irish Data Protection Law. Except as otherwise set out in this policy, Abbott will not transfer or share your personal information with any non-affiliated third parties without your permission. Abbott sometimes engage with non-affiliated third party service providers in joint marketing programs or to assist us with our business activities and in such instances we may need to share your personal information with them. Abbott require such third party service providers to keep your personal information confidential and to use your personal information only to perform particular functions in strict accordance with Abbott’s instructions and do not authorise them to use your personal information for any other purpose.

Abbott reserves the right to disclose your personal information when required to do so in response to authorised requests from government authorities or when otherwise required by law. In the event Abbott transfers or sells any of its product lines or divisions, Abbott will only transfer your personal information to the purchaser subject to your consent, and where required by applicable law, so that the purchaser can continue to provide you with information and services.

How does Abbott secure personal information?

The security of your personal information is important to us. Whilst it is Abbott’s practice to secure each Abbott website that collects personal information and to take all reasonable steps to protect your data, the confidentiality of personal information transmitted over the Internet cannot be guaranteed. We therefore urge you to exercise caution and assess the risks and benefits when transmitting personal information electronically. Abbott cannot guarantee that unauthorized third parties will not gain access to your personal information. In addition, Abbott websites covered by this Privacy & Cookie Policy will display a warning whenever you link to a website that is not controlled by Abbott; you should check the privacy & cookie policies of such third-party websites before submitting personal information.

How does Abbott protect the privacy of children?

Occasionally Abbott websites may include Abbott sponsored educational programs aimed at children (we define "children" as minors younger than 13 years of age). Abbott does not knowingly collect or use any personal information from children on Abbott websites. We do not knowingly allow children to communicate with us, order our products, 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 any such issues.

How may I correct personal information or delete it from current customer records?

With your support Abbott aim to keep personal information records accurate and up-to-date. You may inform us of any changes in your personal data, and in accordance with our obligations under Irish Data Protection Law, we will update or delete your personal data accordingly. Such requests may be made by contacting us in one of the ways specified below.

How long will Abbott store personal information?

Abbott will only store your personal information for as long as it is needed to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, subject to applicable data retention periods imposed upon Abbott by law. For record keeping purposes, we will retain certain personal information you submit in conjunction with commercial transactions.

How can I contact Abbott?

If you have any questions concerning our Privacy & Cookie Policy, the accuracy, use or security of your personal information or any requests that we correct, update or remove personal information that you have provided us with, or if you would like to opt out of future communications from an Abbott business or a particular Abbott service, please contact us by clicking on the "Contact Us" link on the Abbott website you are visiting or by e-mail to webmaster@abbott.com. Alternatively, you may direct correspondence to the following postal address:

Abbott Laboratories
Attention: Public Affairs, Department 383
100 Abbott Park Road
Abbott Park, IL 60064-6048
USA

In all communications with Abbott, please include (if applicable) the e-mail address used for registration, the Abbott website address on which you provided any personal information or 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 & Cookie Policy?

If Abbott changes its privacy or cookie practices, an updated version of this Privacy & Cookie Policy will reflect those changes and we will notify you of such changes by updating the effective date at the top of this Privacy & Cookie Policy. Without prejudice to your rights under applicable law, Abbott reserves the right to amend this Privacy & Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect technological advancements, legal and regulatory changes and good business practices.

For persons located in the EEA: The EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) is in force from 25 May 2018. The GDPR amends and updates the rights you have in relation to your personal data, and what companies that process your personal data are permitted and required to do. It also requires that we provide you with the following information in addition to that which you have already received: This supplemental notice supersedes any information you have already received from us.

FURTHER RIGHTS
The GDPR introduces new and extended rights in relation to your personal data beyond those already highlighted to you. These are:

The right to rectify, or erase any wrong or incomplete personal data that Abbott holds about you;
The right to access the personal data that Abbott holds about you;
The right, in some cases, to object to the processing of your personal data on legitimate grounds;
The right not to be subjected to automated decision making intended to evaluate certain personal aspects relating to you, such as analytics based on conduct. Please refer to the cookies section of the privacy notice for more information on how to exercise this right if it is indicated that cookies are being used;
Where you have provided your personal data to us with your consent or as part of a contract, the right to the portability of that personal data to another person or, if it’s technically feasible for us to do so, to another company;
The right to lodge a complaint with your national data protection supervisory authority or to receive compensation for any damage you suffer; and
The right to withdraw your consent to Abbott’s processing of your personal data without detriment, where you have provided consent for Abbott to process your personal data.

FURTHER INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW

Storage Your personal data will be stored for as long as it is needed to provide you with (i) the Abbott service or product that you have requested; and/or (ii) access to our websites and services. Alternatively, your personal data will also be stored for as long as we require it to respond to your queries and concerns or in accordance with any legal requirements, including those in relation to product or medical device safety. For further information please contact your local customer care or the EU-DPO office using the details below.
Why we need your data The provision of personal data to Abbott is required to fulfil the terms of a contract you have with Abbott, to provide you with a product or service you have requested, to comply with local laws, such as those relating to product or medical device safety. Any failure to provide such personal data will mean that Abbott cannot provide you with the product or service you have requested.
Customer care, queries and issues Please follow Abbott’s normal recommended channels.
Data Protection Officer If you have any queries in relation to the processing of your personal data please contact our EU DPO at http://www.eu-dpo.abbott.com/.