Terms and Conditions

Welcome to the Journal of Independent Medicine, (hereinafter “Journal”), an independent project of the Independent Medical Alliance (“IMA,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) www.imahealth.org. The Independent Medical Alliance, Inc ”) initially founded as Front Line Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC), is a coalition of physicians, nurses, and healthcare professionals united by a mission to restore trust and transparency in healthcare. With a focus on evidence-based medicine, patient empowerment, and systemic reform, IMA is driving a movement to create a more compassionate and effective healthcare system. We are a registered 501(c)(3) in Delaware.

The Journal is an independent, peer-reviewed medical journal and will stand as an ethical force of independence and objectivity—uninfluenced by corporate interests or public health agency agendas.

1. General. These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the Journal, its website and subdomains and online services (“Services”) that we operate and that link to these Terms (collectively, the “Website” or “Site”). Please review these Terms carefully before using the Journal and its Website because they are a legal contract between you and the Journal. By using the Website, or by viewing anything made available through the Website, including our affiliated video postings or social media accounts (including but not limited to protocols, research papers, consultations, programs, videos, posts, e-newsletters, emails, social media posts and/or other communications or services (collectively, the “Services”), you agree to be bound by and comply with these Terms. We may change these Terms or modify any features of the Website or the Services at any time. The most current version of the Terms can be viewed by clicking on the “Terms and Conditions” link posted throughout the Website. You accept any changes to the Terms by continuing to use the Website after we post the changes. If you do not agree to the Terms, do not use the Journal, its Website or Services.

THIS AGREEMENT CONTAINS AN ARBITRATION PROVISION AND A WAIVER OF CLASS ACTION AND JURY TRIAL.

2. Nature and Limitations of Content; Not Medical Advice. The Journal and its Website are educational and informational in nature and provided as a forum for medical research and opinion. The information is provided for educational purposes and is not offered as medical or psychological advice, opinion, diagnosis or treatment for the reader or any person and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. The Journal and Website are not intended to create and do not constitute any professional relationship between you and the Journal, the Independent Medical Alliance or any of its editors, peer reviewers, officers, directors, trustees, employees, consultants, independent contractors, bloggers, experts, agents, volunteers, affiliates, agents or any of the Independent Medical Alliance’s independent contractors, experts, or agents. Even if those providing information via the Website display professional licensure or other credentials in the healing arts, or cite clinical trials or other medical literature, they are limited to providing information and education and are not providing any clinical service via the Website. The information provided through the Website should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. The information contained in these communications is not comprehensive and does not include all the potential information regarding the subject matter but is merely intended to serve as one resource for general and educational purposes.

FDA Dietary Supplement Notice. While any discussion of dietary supplements is for educational and not marketing purposes, we note that dietary ingredients discussed are not intended for use by consumers to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information contained on the Journal or this Website has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

3. Copyright Ownership and Permitted Use. This Website contains content that is protected under the copyright, trademark and other intellectual property laws of the United States and other countries (“Content”) and these rights are valid and protected in all forms, media and technologies existing now and hereinafter developed. Unless otherwise provided in these Terms or elsewhere indicated on the Website, all intellectual property rights in the Content are owned by us or our third-party licensors to the full extent permitted under United States and international intellectual property laws, including, without limitation, all videos, text, graphics, user interfaces, visual interfaces, photographs, moving images, illustrations, files, trademarks, logos, service marks, artwork, computer code, design, structure, selection, coordination, “look and feel,” and arrangement of the Content. Copyrighted material may be used only in accordance with copyright and other applicable laws. All copyright rights in the Content are owned by us or our licensors. You may not scrape, copy, display, distribute, modify, publish, reproduce, store, transmit, post, translate, or create derivative works from, including with artificial intelligence tools, or in any way exploit any part of the Content except that you may make use of the Content for your own personal, noncommercial use, provided you keep intact all copyright and other proprietary rights notices.

YOU MAY NOT USE CONTENT TO TRAIN AI MODELS OR USE CONTENT FOR OTHER PURPOSES SUCH AS TRAINING A MACHINE LEARNING OR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE MODEL, WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION.

You may link to Content provided you do so in a manner that is legal, does not circumvent our access controls, and does not suggest any form of association, approval, or endorsement by us.

Authors seeking information about permissions for use of submitted or published material should contact us at the email below for current permissions policies.

Claims of Infringement. The Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance respect the intellectual property of others and require that you do the same. In accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”), the text of which may be found on the U.S. Copyright Office website at http://www.copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf, the Independent Medical Alliance will respond expeditiously to notices of alleged copyright infringement that are duly reported to its Designated Copyright Agent identified in the notice below. We will disable and/or remove access to the Website for users who are repeat infringers. If you believe that your content has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, or your intellectual property rights have been otherwise violated, please provide the Independent Medical Alliance Copyright Agent with the following information:

DMCA Notice of Alleged Infringement (“Notice”). Identify the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed, or if multiple works are covered by this Notice you may provide a representative list of the copyrighted works that you claim have been infringed. Identify the material or link you claim is infringing and provide a description of where the infringing work is located on the website. Provide your mailing address, telephone number and, if available, email address. Include both of the following statements in the body of the Notice: “I hereby state that I have a good-faith belief that the disputed use of the copyrighted material is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law (e.g., fair use).” “I hereby state that the information in this Notice is accurate and, under penalty of perjury, that I am the owner or authorized to act on behalf of the owner, of the copyright or of an exclusive right under the copyright that is allegedly infringed.” Provide your full legal name and your electronic or physical signature. Deliver this Notice, with all items completed, to the Independent Medical Alliance Designated Copyright Agent:

Email: [email protected]

While the Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance consider all such notices seriously, you may be liable for damages (including costs and attorneys’ fees) if you materially misrepresent that content or activity is infringing. Accordingly, if you are uncertain whether material infringes your copyrights (including whether use of copyrighted material may constitute fair use) you may wish to seek the advice of an attorney.

4. Trademark Ownership. The name “Independent Medical Alliance is a registered trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”).

Independent Medical Alliance™ and “Honest Medicine™ are common law trademarks with pending registration with the USPTO. All rights in the product names, trade names, logos, service marks, trademarks, trade dress, and designs available through the Services including, without limitation, are the exclusive property of the Independent Medical Alliance and are protected from reproduction, imitation, dilution, or confusing or misleading uses under national and international laws. Nothing stated or implied in the Services confers on you any license or right to use or misuse these trademarks or materials.

5. Prohibited Conduct. You may not circumvent the security of the Services or otherwise attempt to interfere with the proper workings of the Services. For example, and without limitation, you may not without our prior written permission:

Access data not intended for users or log into a server, network, or account that you are not authorized to access.

Attempt to probe, scan, or test the vulnerability of our systems or network or breach our security or authentication measures without authorization.

Attempt to gain unauthorized access to, or interfere with, damage, or disrupt any part of the Services.

Attack the Services via a denial-of-service attack of any kind.

Engage in “framing,” “mirroring,” or otherwise simulating the appearance or function of the Services.

Engage in the systematic retrieval of Content.

Attempt to decipher, decompile, disassemble, or reverse-engineer any of the software included as part of the Services.

Use Content from the Services to test, process, analyze, train, generate output from, or develop any form of artificial intelligence or machine learning tool or software.

Engage in unauthorized “scraping” or spidering or harvesting of information or Content or use any unauthorized means to compile information.

6. Web Site Modifications and Availability. The Journal will make reasonable efforts to keep the Services available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, owing to technical failures, routine maintenance, or other unforeseen circumstances, availability may be limited and neither the Journal nor the Independent Medical Alliance will be responsible for the non-availability of Services. The Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance reserve the right to modify, suspend, discontinue, or restrict access to, all or any part of the Services at any time.

7. Disclaimer of Warranties. Neither the Journal or the Independent Medical Alliance or its principals, editors, peer-reviewers or any individual associated with same are responsible or liable for the use or misuse of the information provided whatsoever or of the content of any websites accessed through links on this Website. Reliance on any information is solely at your own risk. The Services are intended for educational, research, self-study, and reference purposes only. The Services are not intended to substitute for the exercise of professional judgment by the user. Medical science and clinical practice is ever-changing. Some of the opinions expressed and information provided may be controversial and may not be widely recognized within the medical profession or may be subject to disagreement among qualified medical experts. The Journal is peer-reviewed but there may be controversies over the selection of and qualifications of peers as a result of efforts to address controversial issues. Users, whenever possible, are advised to confirm the information available from the Services through independent sources. The information available through the Services should not be substituted for the advice or judgement of a qualified health care professional. Do not disregard or avoid professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of materials made available through the Services. Neither the Journal nor the Independent Medical Alliance make any warranty that the operation of the Services will be uninterrupted or error-free or as to the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or result obtained from the use of the Services or any content included therein. All statements and opinions expressed through the Services are the opinions and responsibility of the person or entity providing those materials.

YOU EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE SERVICES IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK. THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND AN “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS. NEITHER THE JOURNAL OR THE INDEPENDENT MEDICAL ALLIANCE MAKE, AND HEREBY DISCLAIMS, ANY REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, REGARDING THE SERVICES, INCLUDING (WITHOUT LIMITATION) IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, FREEDOM FROM COMPUTER VIRUS OR OTHER HARMFUL CODE AND ANY WARRANTIES ARISING BY COURSE OF DEALING OR CUSTOM OF TRADE. NEITHER THE JOURNAL OR THE INDEPENDENT MEDICAL ALLIANCE MAKES ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY THAT ANY MATERIAL, CONTENT, PRODUCTS, OR SERVICE OFFERINGS DISPLAYED ON OR OFFERED THROUGH A SERVICE IS ACCURATE, COMPLETE, APPROPRIATE, RELIABLE, TIMELY, OPERATIONAL, ERROR FREE, SECURE, SAFE, OR THAT THE SERVICES WILL FUNCTION WITHOUT DISRUPTIONS, DELAYS, OR IMPERFECTIONS. WE DO NOT CONTROL, AND ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR, CONTROLLING HOW OR WHEN OUR USERS USE THE SERVICES. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR AND ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO CONTROL THE ACTIONS OR INFORMATION (INCLUDING CONTENT) OF OUR USERS OR OTHER THIRD PARTIES. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN WARRANTIES. ACCORDINGLY, SOME OF THE ABOVE EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

8. Limitations of Liability.

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW AND NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THESE TERMS OF USE, IN NO EVENT SHALL THE JOURNAL OR THE INDEPENDENT MEDICAL ALLIANCE (INCLUDING ANY OF ITS PARTNERS, AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, AGENTS, SUBSIDIARIES, JOINT VENTURES, MEMBERS, EMPLOYEES, CONTRACTORS, SUCCESSORS, OR ASSIGNEES AND THIRD-PARTY SERVICE PROVIDERS) BE LIABLE TO YOU (INCLUDING ANY OF YOUR PARTNERS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, CONTRACTORS, SUCCESSORS, HEIRS OR ASSIGNEES) FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, WHETHER ARISING IN CONTRACT, EQUITY, NEGLIGENCE, INTENDED CONDUCT, TORT, OR OTHERWISE (INCLUDING BREACH OF WARRANTY, NEGLIGENCE, AND STRICT LIABILITY IN TORT), INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THE CONTENT OF THE SERVICES, FOR YOUR ACTION OR INACTION IN CONNECTION WITH THE SERVICES, FOR ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR COMPUTER OR DATA, ANY DAMAGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOSS OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION OR ANY OTHER DAMAGE OR ECONOMIC LOSS YOU MAY INCUR ENSUING FROM OR IN CONNECTION WITH (A) THE SERVICES; OR (B) YOUR SUBMISSION OF PERSONAL OR OTHER INFORMATION THROUGH THE SERVICES, EVEN IF THE INDEPENDENT MEDICAL ALLIANCE OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. THESE LIMITATIONS SHALL APPLY NOTWITHSTANDING THE FAILURE OF THE ESSENTIAL PURPOSE OF ANY LIMITED REMEDY.

DESPITE THE FOREGOING LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR DAMAGES, IF A TRIBUNAL OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION DECIDES TO AWARD MONETARY DAMAGES TO YOU FOR ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING FROM THE SAME, THE AMOUNT OF MONETARY DAMAGES FOR SUCH CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE LIMITED TO A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF $100.

THE LAWS OF SOME STATES OR JURISDICTIONS MAY NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES, SO SOME OR ALL OF THE EXCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS SET FORTH ABOVE MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY IN OUR TERMS OF USE, IN SUCH CASES, THE LIABILITY OF THE JOURNAL AND THE INDEPENDENT MEDICAL ALLIANCE WILL BE LIMITED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

9. Indemnification. You agree, to the extent permitted by law, to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance, including its editors, peer reviewers, partners, affiliates, officers, directors, agents, subsidiaries, joint ventures, employees, contractors, successors, or assignees and third-party service providers from and against any and all complaints, charges, claims, damages, losses, costs, liabilities, and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) due to, arising out of, or relating in any way to: (a) your access to or use of the Services; (b) your breach of this Agreement; or (c) any misrepresentation made by you. You will cooperate as fully as required by us in the defense or settlement of any claim. We will provide you with timely notice of any such claim, suit or proceeding.

10. Arbitration, Class-Action Waiver and Jury Waiver.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS CAREFULLY BECAUSE THEY REQUIRE YOU TO AGREE TO RESOLVE DISPUTES BETWEEN US THROUGH BINDING INDIVIDUAL ARBITRATION.

Waiver of Jury Trial. THE JOURNAL AND THE INDEPENDENT MEDICAL ALLIANCE AND YOU EACH AGREE TO WAIVE THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JUDGE OR JURY FOR ALL DISPUTES, EXCEPT FOR DISPUTES RELATING TO THE ENFORCEMENT OR INFRINGEMENT OF YOUR OR OUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS (SUCH AS COPYRIGHTS, TRADEMARKS, DOMAINS, LOGOS, TRADE DRESS, TRADE SECRETS, AND PATENTS). Such disputes include those relating to, arising out of, or in any way in connection with your rights of privacy and publicity, will be resolved through final and binding arbitration, which is typically more limited, more efficient, and less costly than rules applicable in court and are subject to very limited review by a court. The Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance and you agree not to combine a dispute that is subject to arbitration under this Agreement with a dispute that is not eligible for arbitration under this Agreement.

Waiver of Class or Consolidated Actions. ALL CLAIMS AND DISPUTES ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE WEBSITE OR THESE TERMS (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE PRIVACY NOTICE) MUST BE ARBITRATED OR LITIGATED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND NOT ON A CLASS BASIS. CLAIMS OF MORE THAN ONE CUSTOMER OR USER CANNOT BE ARBITRATED OR LITIGATED JOINTLY OR CONSOLIDATED WITH THOSE OF ANY OTHER CUSTOMER OR USER. If, however, this waiver of class or consolidated actions is deemed invalid or unenforceable, neither you nor we are entitled to arbitration; instead all claims and disputes will be resolved in a court as set forth herein.

Arbitration. The Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance and you agree to negotiate in good faith and undertake reasonable efforts to cooperate with one another in order to achieve a mutually satisfactory resolution. If we do not resolve any dispute by informal negotiation, any other effort to resolve the dispute will be conducted exclusively by binding arbitration as described in this section. By your use of this site, you are giving up the right to litigate (or participate in as a party or class member) all disputes in court before a judge or jury. Instead, all disputes will be resolved before a neutral arbitrator, whose decision will be final except for a limited right of appeal under the Federal Arbitration Act. Any court with jurisdiction over the parties may enforce the arbitrator’s award. Any proceedings to resolve or litigate any dispute in any forum will be conducted solely on an individual basis. Neither you nor the Journal or Independent Medical Alliance will seek to have any dispute heard as a class action or in any other proceeding in which either party acts or proposes to act in a representative capacity. No arbitration or proceeding will be combined with another without the prior written consent of all parties to all affected arbitrations or proceedings. The Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance and you agree that all disputes arising under these Terms that cannot be settled through informal negotiation will be settled exclusively through confidential binding arbitration in Madison, Wisconsin, or another forum mutually agreed upon by the parties, pursuant to the Rules of Arbitration (“Rules”) of the International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”) by a sole arbitrator nominated by agreement of the parties and confirmed in accordance with said Rules. The arbitrator’s award shall be binding and may be entered as a judgment in a court of competent jurisdiction. You agree that the Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance are entitled to obtain preliminary injunctive relief to the extent allowed by law to enforce any of the terms of these Terms pending a final arbitral decision. To the extent permitted by law, any claim or dispute under this agreement must be filed within one year in an arbitration proceeding. The one-year period begins when the claim or notice of dispute first could be filed. If a claim or dispute is not filed within one year, it is permanently barred. If any other provision of this section is found to be illegal or unenforceable, that provision will be severed, with the remainder of this section remaining in full force and effect.

11. User Generated Content. You agree that you are fully responsible for the content that you submit for publication, comment or any other reason. You agree that you will not post or submit any content that (i) is defamatory, obscene, or abusive, (ii) violates or infringes upon the proprietary, publicity, or privacy rights of any third party, (iii) violates or encourages the violation of any applicable local, state, national, or international law, rule, or regulation, or (iv) is otherwise inappropriate. You agree not to submit any personal information of another (including, without limitation, Protected Health Information). You will indemnify the Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance, from any third party cost, claim, or demand, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, due to or arising out of the content you submit. You understand and agree that the Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance are not responsible for content submitted by third parties.

You agree that by submitting content, you grant to the Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance and our licensees a royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive worldwide, right and license to display, publish, translate, distribute and otherwise use your submission in any format or media now known or later developed in connection with Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance publications and offerings including, without limitation, the Services. We shall have the right, but not the obligation, to monitor submissions to determine compliance with these Terms of Use and any operating rules we establish to satisfy any law, rule, regulation or government request. We shall have the right in our sole discretion to edit, refuse to post, or remove any submission.

We are under no obligation to publish, display or otherwise use your submission. You authorize the Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance to publish your name and location (city, state and/or country) in connection with any use of your submission and, in identifying yourself and location, you represent that you have done so accurately. You agree to post or submit only for non-commercial purposes.

12. International Use. The Services are controlled and operated within the United States of America. The Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance make no representation that the Services or content made available through the Services are appropriate or available for use outside of the United States. Certain items available through Journal digital offerings may be subject to U.S. export laws and regulations. In such event, you represent and warrant that you are not located in a country that is subject to a U.S. Government embargo and that you are not on any U.S. Government list of prohibited, blocked, or restricted parties.

13. Third-Party Content and Links to Third-Party Websites. The Website may contain links to third-party content that take you outside of the Website and the Services (“Linked Sites”). In addition, certain Content may also be licensed from third parties and their Content may be subject to additional terms or restrictions. We do not control, endorse, sponsor, recommend or otherwise accept responsibility for such Linked Sites or Licensed Content, nor do we make any warranties or representations, express or implied, regarding the content (or the accuracy, currency, or completeness of such content) on any Linked Sites. When you follow a link to another website, that website will be governed by different terms of use and a different privacy policy. You should be sure that you read and agree to those policies. Use of any linked third-party content is at the user’s own risk. None of the links on this Site should be deemed to imply that the Journal or the Independent Medical Alliance endorses the Content or has any affiliation with the persons or entities associated therewith, nor have we attempted to verify the truth or accuracy of any such opinion, claim, or comment.

14. Compliance with Laws. You agree to comply with relevant laws, rules, and regulations, including Applicable privacy laws and those laws referred to in the Journal Privacy Policy, that apply to your use of the Services.

15. Choice of Law and Forum. Your access and use of the Services, these Terms of Use, and all actions contemplated by these Terms of Use shall be governed by the laws of the United States of America and the laws of the District of Columbia as if these Terms of Use were an agreement wholly entered into and wholly performed within that Jurisdiction and without giving effect to their principles of conflicts of law. The exclusive jurisdiction for any claim or action arising from or relating to these Terms of Use or the use of the Services (except where arbitration is specified) shall be with the state or federal courts located in the District of Columbia.

16. Endorsements. Descriptions of, references to, or links to other products, publications, or services does not imply endorsement of any kind unless expressly stated by Journal or the Independent Medical Alliance.

17. Registration Information. Where registration information is involved for the use of a Service, you agree to provide valid and truthful information. The sharing of login information is prohibited.

18. Privacy. Registration data and other information about you and your use of the Services are subject to the Journal Privacy Policy.

19. Entire Agreement/Miscellaneous. These Terms constitute the entire agreement between Journal, the Independent Medical Alliance and you, superseding any prior or contemporaneous communications and proposals (whether oral, written, or electronic) between you and us. In the event any provision of these Terms is held unenforceable, it will not affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining provisions and will be replaced by an enforceable provision that comes closest to the intention underlying the unenforceable provision. You agree that no joint venture, partnership, employment, or agency relationship exists between you and Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance as a result of these Terms or your access to and use of the Website. Our failure to enforce any provisions of these Terms or respond to a violation by any party does not waive our right to subsequently enforce any terms or conditions of the Terms or respond to any violations. Nothing contained in these Terms is in derogation of our right to comply with governmental, court, and law enforcement requests or requirements relating to your use of the Website or information provided to or gathered by us with respect to such use.

20. Contact Information

If you have any questions about the Terms, please contact us at:

Independent Medical Alliance
2001 L St NW Suite 500, #50108
Washington, DC 20036

Email: [email protected]

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Journal of Independent Medicine Privacy Policy and Notice of Information Practices

Last Updated: February 10, 2025

The Journal of Independent Medicine (“Journal”) and the Independent Medical Alliance respect the privacy of visitors to our websites and online services and values the confidence of the public, our authors, peer reviewers, partners, and employees. This Privacy Policy and Notice of Information Practices (“Privacy Notice”) sets forth the Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance’s practices regarding the collection, use and disclosure of information that you may provide through the website(s) that we operate, their subdomains, and all portals, applications, products, services, events and any interactive features, applications or other services that link to this Privacy Notice (“Website” or “Site”), as well as Personal Information provided to the Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance by any means. Additional privacy disclosures may be made at the time of collection of the information. Please read the entire Privacy Notice before using our Website or our Services. By using the Website, you agree to abide by the terms of this Privacy Notice. This Privacy Notice is also part of our Terms and Conditions, which govern your use of the Website.

Your Safety and the Security of Your Personal Information; Care in Uploading Protected Information

As with all information on the internet, we urge our users to proceed with caution to maintain their digital privacy. Our priority is your safety and security online. We only use the information you provide to us to provide you with the services we offer, and we will not ask you for information that is not required for our services. Please do not provide us with additional personal or health information if it has not been requested, and do not provide us with protected health information of any patient. If you provide us with personal information, such as uploading a photo or video to our social media or commenting on another user’s video, please make sure that your content does not include personal information that could be used to specifically identify you or those around you, such as full names, physical addresses or locations, passwords, or other personal information that is not available to the public.

Please note that email sent to or from the Journal or the Independent Medical Alliance are not encrypted, and such information is not secured. Email communication also is not compliant with HIPAA security standards, and any personal information, including protected health information, could be exposed if sent through insecure means. Neither the Journal or the Independent Medical Alliance is responsible for the privacy or security of information sent via email and disclaims any liability under HIPAA or other federal, state, or international laws relating to information privacy.

While we maintain a variety of security procedures to help protect against loss, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction of the information you provide through the Website, no data transmission over the Internet or stored on a server can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, while we strive to protect your information and privacy, we cannot guarantee or warrant the security of any information you disclose or transmit to us online and cannot be responsible for the theft, destruction, or inadvertent disclosure of your information.

Collection of Information

We may ask you for some or all of the following types of information when you access various content or features of the Website or submit content, or directly contact us:

Contact information, such as name, email address, postal address, organization, and telephone number; the contents of your message to us in any “Contact Us” form, email communication, or telephone call; if you submit any material for publication, we may ask for information including your medical specialty, city, state and country, URL address, hospital or organizational affiliation and information from social media and payment processor (such as PayPal) accounts; language preference; search queries; and correspondence and other information that you send to us.

We also may collect certain information automatically when you visit the Website, including: Your IP address, which is the number automatically assigned to your computer whenever you access the Internet and that can sometimes be used to derive your general geographic area; Other unique identifiers, including mobile device identification numbers (e.g., IDFA, Android/Google Advertising ID, IMEI); Your browser type and operating system; Your device characteristics; Sites you visited before and after visiting the Sites; Pages you view and links you click on within the Sites, including remembering you and your preferences; Your device location and/or other geolocation information, including the zip code, state, or country from which you accessed the Sites; Information collected through cookies, web beacons and other technologies; Information about your interactions with email messages, such as the links clicked on and whether the messages were received, opened, or forwarded.

Standard Server Log Information

We may use cookies, pixel tags, and similar technologies to automatically collect this information. Cookies are small bits of information that are stored by your computer’s web browser. Pixel tags are very small images or small pieces of data embedded in images, also known as “web beacons” or “clear GIFs,” that can recognize cookies, the time and date a page is viewed, a description of the page where the pixel tag is placed, and similar information from your computer or device. By using the Website, you consent to our use of cookies and similar technologies. You can decide if and how your computer will accept a cookie by configuring your preferences or options in your browser. However, if you choose to reject cookies, you may not be able to use certain online products, services, or features on the Website.

Use of Information

We may use information that we collect through the Website or in person for a variety of purposes, including to:

Operate and improve our Website, products, information, and services; Understand you and your preferences to enhance your experience and enjoyment using our Website, products, and services; To perform our contractual obligations with you and with others; Respond to your comments and questions; Provide and deliver products, information, or services you request; Meet our audit, compliance, and regulatory obligations as a non-profit; Send you information, including emails, newsletters, confirmations, invoices, technical notices, updates, security alerts, and support and administrative messages; Communicate with you about upcoming events and news about products, information, and services offered by the Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance or our affiliates; Link or combine with other personal information we get from third parties, to help understand your needs and provide you with better service; provide statistics or research on issues relating to the IMA; Comply with a law, court order, or other judicial or administrative process; Protect, investigate, and deter against fraudulent, unauthorized, or illegal activity; and As otherwise described to you at the point of collection or pursuant to your consent.

Sharing of Information

We are committed to maintaining your trust, and we want you to understand when and with whom we may share the information we collect.

Corporate Parents, Partners, and Affiliates. As applicable, we may share your information with affiliated entities for a variety of purposes, including research, business, operational and marketing purposes.

Service Providers. We may share your information with service providers that perform certain functions or services on our behalf (such as host the Website, manage databases, process data, third-party payment processors, perform analyses or send communications for us).

Other Parties When Required by Law or as Necessary to Protect the Website. We may disclose your information to third parties in order to: protect the legal rights, safety, and security of the Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance, affiliates, and the users of our Website; enforce our Terms and Conditions; prevent fraud (or for risk management purposes); and comply with or respond to law enforcement or legal process or a request for cooperation by a government entity, whether or not legally required.

In Connection with a Transfer of Assets. If we sell all or part of our business, make a sale or transfer of assets, or are otherwise involved in a merger or business transfer, or in the event of bankruptcy, we may transfer your information to one or more third parties as part of that transaction.

Other Parties with Your Express or Implied Consent. We may share information about you with third parties when you consent to such sharing (e.g., if you use a link to share an article from the Website to social media, or if you ask us to provide your information to a third party).

Aggregate Information. We may disclose to third parties information that does not describe or identify individual users, such as aggregated website usage data or demographic reports, or research results. This information is not considered personal information. In addition, we may allow third parties to place and read their own cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to collect information through the Website. For example, our third-party service providers may use these technologies to collect information that helps us with traffic measurement, research, and analytics. Please note that you may need to take additional steps beyond changing your browser settings to refuse or disable some of these technologies. If you choose to refuse, disable, or delete these technologies, some of the functionality of the Website may no longer be available to you. You understand that when you use the Website, these analytics providers may collect information related to your use of the Website. You may have more options in our

Response to “Do Not Track” Signals

Do Not Track (“DNT”) is a web browser setting that requests that a web application disable its tracking of an individual user. When you choose to turn on the DNT setting in your browser, your browser sends a special signal to websites, analytics companies, ad networks, plug in providers, and other web services you encounter while browsing to stop tracking your activity. However, because there currently is no industry standard concerning what, if anything, websites should do when they receive such signals, California and other state residents should not that we currently do not take action in response to these signals.

Children’s Privacy

The Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance respects the privacy of children, and no part of our Site is targeted to attract anyone under the age of 18. The Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance does not knowingly collect, use, or disclose personal information from children under the age of 18 without prior parental consent. If you believe we have information regarding a child under the age of 18 that you have not authorized, you may contact us at [email protected] to request deletion of that information.

International Transfers of Information

If you are visiting the Website from a location outside of the United States, your connection will be through and to servers located in the United States. All information you receive from the Website will be created on servers located in the United States, and all information you provide will be maintained on web servers and systems located within the United States. Your information, including your Personal Information, may be transferred to – and maintained on – computers located in the United States. The data protection laws in the United States may differ from those of the country in which you are located, and your information may be subject to access requests from governments, courts, or law enforcement in the United States according to the laws of the United States. Your consent to this Privacy Notice, followed by your submission of your information represents your agreement to the collection, storage, processing, and transfer of your information in and to the United States, or other countries and territories, pursuant to the laws of the United States.

The Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance will take all the steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your Personal Information is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Notice and no transfer of your Personal Information will take place to an organization or a country unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of your data and other personal information.

Your Choices Regarding Your Personal Data

If you receive emails or other communications from us, you may indicate a preference to stop receiving further communications from us and you will have the opportunity to “opt-out” by following the unsubscribe instructions provided in the email you receive, or by contacting us directly at our contact information below. If you opt out, we may still send you non-promotional emails, such as emails about our ongoing business transactions (such as a donation receipt). We ask that you keep your information updated, and you may request changes or updates to your personal information by sending a request to us at [email protected]. Users in certain jurisdictions may have additional rights, as outlined below.

Your Data Protection Rights Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

If you are a resident of or located within the European Economic Area (“EEA”), you have certain additional data protection rights. These rights include:

The right to access, update or delete the information we have on you. Whenever possible, you can access, update or request deletion of your Personal Information by contacting us at the contact information below.

The right of rectification. You have the right to have your information rectified if that information is inaccurate or incomplete.

The right to object. You have the right to object to our processing of your Personal Information.

The right of restriction. You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal information.

The right to data portability. You have the right to be provided with a copy of the information we have on you in a structured, machine-readable, and commonly used format.

The right to withdraw consent. You also have the right to withdraw your consent at any time where the Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance relied on your consent to process your personal information.

Legal Basis for Processing Personal Information Under GDPR

In most instances, the Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance is a controller of Personal Information; however, in some instances, the Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance may be a processor of Personal Information. Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance’s legal basis for collecting and using the Personal Information described in this Privacy Notice depends on the Personal Information we collect and the specific context in which we collect it.

The Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance may collect or process your Personal Information because:

We need to provide a service to you;

You have given us your consent to do so;

The processing is in our legitimate interests, and it is not overridden by your rights; or

To comply with the law.

Retention of Information

The Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance will retain your Personal Information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Notice. We will retain and use your Personal Information to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your Information to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies.

The Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance will also retain Personal Information and usage data for internal analysis purposes. Usage Data is data collected automatically either generated by the use of the Site or from the Site infrastructure itself (for example, the duration of a page visit). Usage Data is generally retained for a shorter period of time, except when this data is used to strengthen the security or to improve the functionality of our Site or we are legally obligated to retain this data for longer periods.

Disclosure of Personal Information

Disclosure for Law Enforcement – Under certain circumstances, the Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance may be required to disclose your Personal Information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or a government agency).

Legal Requirements

The Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance may disclose your Personal Information in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

To comply with a legal obligation; To protect and defend the rights or property of the Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance; To prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Service; To protect the personal safety of users of the Service or the public; and/or To protect against legal liability.

Exercising Your Rights Under GDPR

If applicable, you may exercise any of your rights under the GDPR by submitting a verifiable data subject request to us by using the details in the Contact Information section below. You may make a request related to your personal information or on behalf of someone for which you have authorization. You must include your full name, email address, and attest to the fact that you are a citizen or resident of the EEA by including your country of citizenship or residence in your request. We may require you to confirm your identity and/or legal standing for the request as well as your residency in the EEA in order to obtain the information. We will respond to your request within 30 days or let you know if we need additional time.

Please note that we will ask you to verify your identity before responding to such requests, and we may deny your request if we are unable to verify your identity or authority to make the request.

Should you wish to raise a concern about our use of your information (and without prejudice to any other rights you may have), you have the right to do so with your local supervisory authority; however, we hope that we can assist with any queries or concerns you may have about our use of your Personal Information first by contacting us at [email protected].

For more information about GDPR, please contact your local data protection authority in the EEA.

Your Additional Data Protection Rights Under the Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados (LGPD)

If you are located in the national territory of Brazil, you have certain additional data protection rights under the Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados (“LGPD”). These rights include:

The right to confirmation of the existence of the processing; The right to access the data; The right to correct incomplete, inaccurate, or out-of-date data; The right to anonymize, block, or delete unnecessary or excessive data or data that is not being processed in compliance with the LGPD; The right to the portability of data to another service or product provider, by means of an express request; The right to delete personal data processed with the consent of the data subject; The right to information about public and private entities with which the controller has shared data; The right to information about the possibility of denying consent and the consequences of such denial; and The right to revoke consent.

Legal Bases for Processing Data Under the LGPD

The Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance’s legal bases for collecting or processing your Personal Information are as follows:

We need to provide a service to you;

You have given us your consent to do so;

The processing is in our legitimate interests, and it is not overridden by your rights; or

To comply with the law.

Duration of Processing

The Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance will process and retain your Personal Information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Notice. We will retain and use your Personal Information to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your Information to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes and enforce our legal agreements and policies.

Exercising Your Rights Under the LGPD

If applicable, you may exercise any of your rights under the LGPD by submitting a verifiable data subject request to us by using the details in the Contact Information section below. You may make a request related to your personal information or on behalf of someone for which you have authorization. You must include your full name, email address, and attest to the fact that you are a citizen or resident of Brazil in your request. We may require you to confirm your identity and/or legal standing for the request as well as your residency in order to obtain the information. We will respond to your request within 15 days or let you know if we need additional time.

California – Shine the Light Act – Third Party Marketing

California Civil Code Section 1798.83 permits California residents to request information regarding the disclosure of their personal information to third parties for the third parties’ direct marketing purposes. At this time, the Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance does not share any personal information with third parties for their direct marketing purposes. Furthermore, as a non-profit 501(c)(3), the Independent Medical Alliance is not subject to the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) at this time.

Social Networking Services

The Journal and the Independent Medical Alliance may work with certain third-party social media providers to offer you their social networking services through our Website. For example, you can use third-party social networking services, including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, and others to share videos and other information about your experience on our Website with your friends and followers on those social networking services. These social networking services may be able to collect information about you, including your activity on our Website. These third-party social networking services also may notify your friends, both on our Website and on the social networking services themselves, that you are a user of our Website or about your use of our Website, in accordance with applicable law and their own privacy policies. If you choose to access or make use of third-party social networking services, we may receive information about you that you have made available to those social networking services, including information about your contacts on those social networking services.

Use of SMS

The Journal and IMA do not use SMS to conduct marketing campaigns, however, we are required to provide the following disclaimer: By providing my phone number to “IMA,” I agree and acknowledge that “IMA” may send text messages to my wireless phone number for any purpose. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary, and you will be able to Opt-out by replying “STOP.” For more information on how your data will be handled please see the privacy policy statement below.

Privacy policy: No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. All the above categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.

Policy Updates

This Privacy Notice may be revised from time to time as we add new features and services, as laws change, and as industry privacy and security best practices evolve. We display a ‘last updated’ date on the policy so that it will be easier for you to know when there has been a change. If we make any material change to this Privacy Notice regarding use or disclosure of personal information, we will provide advance notice through the Website. Small changes or changes that do not significantly affect individual privacy interests may be made at any time and without prior notice. If you are concerned about how your personal information is used, please visit our Site often for this and other important announcements and updates.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice, please contact us at:

Privacy Officer
Independent Medical Alliance
2001 L Street NW, Suite 500
Washington DC 20036

Email: [email protected]