Privacy Policy

iMPSS Privacy Policy and Disclaimers

Privacy Policy

Updated March 19, 2025

The International MPS Society (iMPSS) is committed to honoring the privacy of those who visit our website and use our services, at the same time providing you with the most useful and enjoyable experience possible. The Privacy Policy explains how we collect, store, and use information about our visitors, members, and customers. Please read this policy carefully, as it describes IMPSS’ use of your Personal Information. By accessing and using the IMPSS Website or services, you agree to this Privacy Policy, and are hereby consenting to our use of your Personal Information as set forth herein. You may withdraw consent at any time by contacting IMPSS Headquarters. We may update this policy from time to time and will announce this on our website or other systems as appropriate. If any changes are material or apply to information we have already collected, we may provide additional notice and/or request additional consent as appropriate. Your continued use of the website or IMPSS services constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms. If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, you must discontinue use of the IMPSS website and/or services.

What personal data do we collect from you?

For general website visitors: IMPSS does not collect any personal identifying information from users just browsing our website. Our server recognizes your domain name and the pages that you visit. These data are gathered in an aggregate manner for quality control, statistical purposes and improvement of our site. This information is never forwarded to any third parties, and we do not use any online tracking or interest-based advertising cookies or web beacons.

IMPSS uses Google Analytics to help analyze how users use the Site. Google Analytics uses Cookies to collect information such as how often users visit the Site, what pages they visit, and what other sites they used prior to coming to the Site. We use the information from Google Analytics only to improve our Site and Services. Google Analytics collects only the IP address assigned to you on the date you visit the Site, rather than your name or other personally identifying information. We do not combine the information generated using Google Analytics with your personal information. Although Google Analytics plants a persistent Cookie on your web browser to identify you as a unique user the next time you visit the Site, the Cookie cannot be used by anyone but Google. Google’s ability to use and share information collected by Google Analytics about your visits to the Site is restricted by the Google Analytics Terms of Use and the Google Privacy Policy.

For IMPSS Members, Meeting Registrants, and other Customers: Any personally identifying information collected from you is used to fulfill a specific service or contractual agreement such as meeting registration, webinar registration, abstract submission, payments, dues renewals, or purchase of IMPSS products and services.

  • To gain access to the member-restricted information, members are asked to provide their email address, member password, and limited demographic information. Within your member profile, you may choose to provide us with additional personal data at your discretion, such as name, birthdate, phone number, and location data. You can control how much information you choose to share with us.
  • To gain access to the registration and customer management system, users are asked to provide their email address, set a password, and enter limited demographic information. Within your customer profile, you may choose to provide us with additional personal data at your discretion, such as name, birthdate, phone number, and location data. You can control how much information you choose to share with us.
  • Any personally identifying information collected from you when you apply for an IMPSS award is used to fulfill the specific purpose of providing staff contact methods to reach you regarding the status of your application, and for the awards review process to differentiate between applicants. Any required application materials (CV, recommendation letters, etc.) are only shared with the Awards Committees responsible for reviewing and selecting award recipients. If you are selected as a recipient of the award and are registered for a meeting or received complimentary membership, then the above-listed policies under “For IMPSS Members, Meeting Registrants, and other Customers” apply.
  • Any personally identifying information collected from you when you are registered for an IMPSS Event as a Speaker, is only used to contact you regarding your speaker obligations, and to share relevant Meeting information with you. Should you at any time wish to end your communication with IMPSS, you are welcome to unsubscribe from these communications.

How will your information be used?

IMPSS uses information specifically for the purpose of monitoring or improving the use of and satisfaction with our website and services. IMPSS ensures the security and privacy of any personally identifiable information that you choose to provide to us for any purposes other than outlined in this document.
IMPSS will only use your personal data for the purposes for which we collect it unless we reasonably believe that we need to use it for another reason and that reason is compatible with the original purpose. We will notify you prior to any additional processing.

Legal Basis for Using Your Information

IMPSS will only use your personal data when the law allows us to. We may use your personal data to perform the contract we entered into with you. If you fail to provide personal data required to perform the contract, we may not be able to perform the contract and we may have to cancel a product or service you have with us. We will notify you if this is the case at the time. IMPSS may use your personal data based on your consent. By providing IMPSS your personal information, you are actively agreeing to interact with us, though IMPSS membership and/or other services, and giving us consent to use your personal data. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us. Please remember that withdrawing your consent does not remove the legal basis to use your information to perform the contract where applicable.

Disclosure to Third Parties:

  • IMPSS makes member contact information available through the online IMPSS Membership Directory Online only to other members logged into the website.
  • IMPSS headquarters staff use your email address to respond to your request(s) and to relay membership communication such as Ballots, promotional emails according to your preferences, and important membership correspondence.
  • IMPSS may share personally identifiable information with direct mail companies who are hired by organizations who purchase our attendee or membership mailing lists for mailed correspondence for products or services of interest. Only limited data is provided to the third-party mail house which includes your name, company and mailing address. Your email, telephone, and fax numbers are never disclosed to any third parties.
  • IMPSS may share limited personal information (first and last name) with our contracted hotel partners for our MPS World Summit. The information is used solely to audit our room blocks to ensure attendees receive the discounted hotel room rate. IMPSS never shares any other personal information other than your first and last name with our hotel partners.

IMPSS uses various payment processors to complete payments on our website, each who have their own privacy policies.

We do not retain any personal identifiable information linked to financial information such as credit card numbers. Information is provided directly to the third-party processer at the time you submit payment.

  • Affinipay (used as a processor for dues, event registrations, and fees)
  • Stripe (used to process Pheedloop registrations, sponsorship, and Exhibit payments)

IMPSS uses various third-party service providers to process administrative tasks for certain activities, each has their own privacy policies:

Abstract Submission: Oxford Abstracts

Annual Meeting Mobile App: Pheedloop

Customer Relationship Manager: Wild Apricot

Exhibitor Portal: Pheedloop

Email Marketing Lists: MailChimp

Registration Service: Pheedloop

Speaker Management: Pheedloop

Virtual Meeting Platform: Pheedloop Virtual, and Zoom

 

How long will your data be stored?

IMPSS will not retain your personal information for longer than the period necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. If required by law, we will nullify such personal information by erasing it from our database. Anyone having a recent contractual relationship with IMPSS but then does not interact with the Society for a period of 4 years will have their data anonymized in our database. If you have any open invoices with IMPSS you are considered to have ongoing business and must settle those invoices prior to having your data anonymized. As a user of our services, you have control of the purpose for collecting data, and the duration for which the Personal Data may be kept by IMPSS and can at any time update or delete data as you wish.

Responses to Legal Requests

IMPSS reserves the right to share your information to respond to duly authorized information requests of governmental authorities or where required by law. IMPSS will ensure proper communication with regulatory authorities to ensure privacy.

Do we employ cookies?

IMPSS uses “Authentication Cookies” used by web servers to know whether the user is logged in or not, and which account they are logged in with. Without such a mechanism, the site would not know whether to send a page containing sensitive information, or require the user to authenticate themselves by logging in. Cookies are generated by our website to provide you with a personalized and enhanced online experience. These cookies make your navigation through our sites easier by saving your passwords, preferences, and member profile information. Cookies also show how visitors use our site and enable us to make improvements based on actual visitor traffic patterns. The use of cookies in this manner is an association industry standard. Nonetheless, you can set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies, or to alert you when websites set or access cookies. If you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of our website may become inaccessible or not function properly.

How can I control my information?

You can control the information we have about you and how we use it in several ways:

  • If you are a registered user, you can review, revise, and correct the personal data that you have provided to IMPSS via your Wild Apricot account;
  • If you have received an unwanted email, use the unsubscribe method provided in our various communications and/or manage your subscription preferences online; and
  • If you no longer wish to interact with IMPSS and want your personal information deleted, you can make a request by contacting us by email or as outlined below. IMPSS will delete your personal information and maintain your participation information in an anonymous fashion, so that any data we hold about how you have interacted with IMPSS in the past will be made anonymous.

International Transfer

IMPSS is headquartered in the United States and your personal data may be transferred to the United States or other locations where privacy laws may not be as protective as those in your jurisdiction. For the European Union users, the European Commission has approved the use of model contract clauses as a means of ensuring adequate protection when transferring data outside of the European Economic Area (“EEA”). By incorporating model contract clauses into a contract between IMPSS and the third-party processors that IMPSS engages, your information can be protected when transferred outside of the EEA to countries which have not been deemed by the European Commission to adequately protect personal data, including the United States.

European Union Privacy Rights

IMPSS is headquartered in the United States and your personal data may be transferred to the United States or other locations where privacy laws may not be as protective as those in your jurisdiction. For the European Union users, the European Commission has approved the use of model contract clauses as a means of ensuring adequate protection when transferring data outside of the European Economic Area (“EEA”). By incorporating model contract clauses into a contract between IMPSS and the third-party processors that IMPSS engages, your information can be protected when transferred outside of the EEA to countries which have not been deemed by the European Commission to adequately protect personal data, including the United States.

  • Access: You may receive information about our processing of your personal data and a copy of your personal data.
  • Correct: You may request us to update or correct inaccurate data we have about you. You can also do this by accessing your information as described above.
  • Delete: You may ask us to delete your personal information. See above for more detail.
  • Opt-out: You may change your subscription setting at any time and stop receiving any direct marketing communications as described above.
  • Transfer: You may ask us to transfer your personal data in a machine-readable format to a third party of your choice.
  • Restrict: You may ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information under certain circumstances.
  • Object: You may object to our reliance on our legitimate interest as the basis of our processing if you believe it impacts your fundamental rights and freedoms.
  • Complain: You have a right to submit a complaint to the supervisory authority in the Member State in which you are located. The list of Data Protection authorities and their contact information are available on the European Commission’s website.

If you wish to exercise any of the rights above, please contact us by email at IMPSS Headquarters.

Links to Other Sites

Please be aware that while visiting our site, Visitors can follow links to other sites that are beyond our sphere of influence. IMPSS is not responsible for the content or privacy policy of these other sites.

Acceptance of Conditions

We assume that all Visitors of our website, Respondents to surveys, registrants, members, and applicants have carefully read this document and agree to its contents. If someone does not agree with this privacy policy, they should refrain from using our website and services.

Your Rights

At any time, you may view and/or update your information or change your communication preferences by accessing your Membership Profile or mailing list preferences.

To request we update, delete or return your information to you, users may contact IMPSS Headquarters or call  540.318.3111. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

Our mailing address is:

11190 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 300

Reston, VA 20191

United States

Defined Terms

The following terms used in this Privacy Policy have defined meanings.

  • Personal information. Any data about an identified or identifiable individual, including data that identifies an individual or that could be used to identify, locate, track, or contact an individual. Personal information includes both directly identifiable information such as a name, identification number or unique job title, and indirectly identifiable information such as date of birth, unique mobile or wearable device identifier, telephone number as well as key-coded data.
  • Third party. Any legal entity, association or person that is not owned by IMPSS, or in which IMPSS does not have a controlling interest.

Disclaimers

  • International Intellectual Property and Copyright laws protect all materials contained on the IMPSS website. ‘Material’ includes all text, graphics, icons, photographs, software, audio, and video. Permission is granted to download, copy, or print material for personal, instructional, or noncommercial use.
  • Information contained on our website does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the International MPS Society. Information found on the IMPSS website should not be relied on as medical, legal, business, or tax advice.
  • The IMPSS website provides hyperlinks to external sites for the convenience of our visitors. Such a hyperlink doesn’t imply that the IMPSS endorses the content or operation of external sites. You are solely responsible for how you use any external site linked from this website.
  • The laws of the State of Virginia and the United States of America apply, no matter where this website is viewed. Any suits filed against IMPSS must be filed in the state of Virginia.
  • This Privacy Policy may be revised from time to time, and you are urged to review it periodically. Use of this website constitutes agreement to the Policy that is posted at the time of use.

Give Us Your Feedback

Our goal is to protect your privacy and to provide a pleasant user experience. To comment on or help us to improve this privacy policy, contact Headquarters.