Acceptance of these Terms
These terms of service are entered into by and between You and the International Myeloma Foundation (“IMF,” “we,” or “us”). The following terms and conditions, together with any documents they expressly incorporate by reference (collectively, “Terms”), govern your access to and use of myeloma.org, including any content, functionality, and services offered on or through myeloma.org and all its subdomains or affiliated websites (the “Site”).
Please read these Terms carefully before you start to use the Site. By accessing or using the Site, you accept and agree to be bound and abide by these Terms and our Privacy Policy, found at https://www.myeloma.org/privacy-policy, incorporated herein by reference. The Site is offered and available to users who are 18 years of age or older, and reside in the United States or any of its territories or possessions. By using this Site, you represent and warrant that you are of legal age to form a binding contract with IMF and meet all of the foregoing eligibility requirements. If you do not meet all of these requirements, you must not access or use the Site.
BY ACCESSING ANY PORTION OF THE SITE, YOU AFFIRM THAT YOU ARE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OF AGE, AND YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTAND AND AGREE TO BE LEGALLY BOUND BY THESE TERMS. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THESE TERMS, DO NOT ACCESS THE SITE.
Revisions
We may revise and/or update the Site and these Terms from time to time in our sole discretion. All changes are effective immediately when we post them, and apply to all access to and use of the Site thereafter. Your continued use of the Site following the posting of revised Terms means that you accept and agree to the changes. You are encouraged to check this page frequently so you are aware of any changes, as they are binding on you.
Accessing the Site and Account Security
We reserve the right to withdraw or amend this Site, and any service or material we provide on the Site, in our sole discretion. We will not be liable if for any reason all or any part of the Site is unavailable at any time or for any period. From time to time, we may restrict access to some parts of the Site, or the entire Site, to users, including registered users.
You are responsible for both:
- Making all arrangements necessary for you to have access to the Site.
- Ensuring that all persons who access the Site through your internet connection are aware of these Terms and comply with them.
To access the Site or some of the resources it offers, you may be asked to provide certain registration details or other information. It is a condition of your use of the Site that all the information you provide on the Site is correct, current, and complete. You agree that all information you provide to register with this Site or otherwise, including, but not limited to, through the use of any interactive features on the Site, is governed by our Privacy Policy[SB1] , and you consent to all actions we take with respect to your information consistent with our Privacy Policy[SB2] .
If you choose, or are provided with, a username, password, or any other piece of information as part of our security procedures, you must treat such information as confidential, and you must not disclose it to any other person or entity. You also acknowledge that your account is personal to you and agree not to provide any other person with access to this Site or portions of it using your username, password, or other security information. You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized access to or use of your username or password or any other breach of security. You also agree to ensure that you exit from your account at the end of each session. You should use particular caution when accessing your account from a public or shared computer so that others are not able to view or record your password or other personal information.
We have the right to disable any username, password, or other identifier, whether chosen by you or provided by us, at any time if, in our opinion, you have violated these Terms.
Intellectual Property Rights
The Site and its entire contents, features, and functionality (including but not limited to all information, software, text, displays, images, video, and audio, and the design, selection, and arrangement thereof) are owned by IMF, its licensors, or other providers of such material and are protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property or proprietary rights laws.
You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, republish, download, store, or transmit any of the material on our Site, except as necessary for your personal, non-commercial use of the Site.
You must not delete or alter any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary rights notices from copies of materials from this site.
No right, title, or interest in or to the Site or any content on the Site is transferred to you, and all rights not expressly granted are reserved by IMF.
Trademarks
The IMF name, and all related names, logos, product and service names, designs, and slogans are trademarks of IMF or its affiliates or licensors. You must not use such marks without our prior written permission. All other names, logos, product and service names, designs, and slogans on this Site are the trademarks of their respective owners.
Prohibited Uses
You may use the Site only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You agree not to use the Site:
- In any way that violates any applicable federal, state, local, or international law or regulation (including, without limitation, any laws regarding the export of data or software to and from the United States or other countries).
- For the purpose of exploiting, harming, or attempting to exploit or harm minors in any way by exposing them to inappropriate content, asking for personally identifiable information, or otherwise.
- To send, knowingly receive, upload, download, use, or re-use any material that does not comply with the Content Standards set out in these Terms.
- To impersonate or attempt to impersonate IMF, an IMF employee, another user, or any other person or entity (including, without limitation, by using email addresses associated with any of the foregoing).
- To engage in any other conduct that restricts or inhibits anyone's use or enjoyment of the Site, or which, as determined by us, may harm IMF or users of the Site, or expose them to liability.
Additionally, you agree not to:
- Use the Site in any manner that could disable, overburden, damage, or impair the Site or interfere with any other party's use of the Site, including their ability to engage in real time activities through the Site.
- Use any robot, spider, or other automatic device, process, or means to access the Site for any unauthorized purpose, including monitoring or copying any of the material on the Site.
- Use any device, software, or routine that interferes with the proper working of the Site.
- Introduce any viruses, Trojan horses, worms, logic bombs, or other material that is malicious or technologically harmful.
- Attempt to gain unauthorized access to, interfere with, damage, or disrupt any parts of the Site, the server on which the Site is stored, or any server, computer, or database connected to the Site; attack the Site via a denial-of-service attack or a distributed denial-of-service attack; or otherwise attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Site.
User Contributions
The Site may contain message boards, chat rooms, personal web pages or profiles, forums, bulletin boards, and other interactive features (collectively, "Interactive Services") that allow users to post, submit, publish, display, or transmit to other users or other persons (hereinafter, "Post") content or materials (collectively, "User Contributions") on or through the Site.
All User Contributions and your use of any Interactive Services must comply with the following Content Standards:
- User Contributions MUST in their entirety comply with all applicable federal, state, local, and international laws and regulations, and these Terms.
- User Contributions must NOT:
- contain any material that is defamatory, abusive, harassing, violent, hateful, inflammatory, or otherwise objectionable;
- promote sexually explicit or pornographic material, violence, or discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, or age;
- infringe any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright, or other intellectual property or other rights of any other person, or otherwise violate the legal rights (including the rights of publicity and privacy) of others, or contain any material that could give rise to any civil or criminal liability under applicable laws or regulations;
- promote any illegal activity, or advocate, promote, or assist any unlawful act, or otherwise be likely to deceive others;
- impersonate any person, or misrepresent your identity or affiliation with any person or organization, or give the impression that they emanate from or are endorsed by us or any other person or entity, if this is not the case;
- involve commercial activities or sales, such as contests, sweepstakes, and other sales promotions, barter, or advertising.
Any User Contribution you Post to the site will be considered non-confidential and non-proprietary. By providing any User Contribution on the Site, you grant us and our licensees, successors, and assigns the right to use, reproduce, modify, perform, display, distribute, and otherwise disclose to third parties any such material.
You represent and warrant that:
- You own or control all rights in and to the User Contributions and have the right to grant the license granted above to us and our licensees, successors, and assigns.
- All of your User Contributions do and will comply with these Terms.
You understand and acknowledge that you are responsible for any User Contributions you submit or contribute, and you have full responsibility for such content, including its legality, reliability, accuracy, and appropriateness.
Monitoring and Enforcement; Termination
We have the right to:
- Take any action with respect to any User Contribution that we deem necessary or appropriate in our sole discretion (including removing or refusing to Post any User Contribution), including if we believe that such User Contribution violates the Terms, including the Content Standards, infringes any intellectual property right or other right of any person or entity, threatens the personal safety of users of the Site or the public, or could create liability for IMF.
- Disclose your identity or other information about you to any third party who claims that material Posted by you violates their rights, including their intellectual property rights or their right to privacy.
- Take appropriate legal action, including without limitation, referral to law enforcement, for any illegal or unauthorized use of the Site.
- Terminate or suspend your access to all or part of the Site for any violation of these Terms.
Without limiting the foregoing, we have the right to cooperate fully with any law enforcement authorities or court order requesting or directing us to disclose the identity or other information of anyone Posting any materials on or through the Site. YOU WAIVE AND HOLD HARMLESS IMF, AND ITS LICENSEES AND SERVICE PROVIDERS, FROM ANY CLAIMS RESULTING FROM ANY ACTION TAKEN BY ANY OF THE FOREGOING PARTIES DURING, OR TAKEN AS A CONSEQUENCE OF, INVESTIGATIONS BY SUCH PARTIES OR LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES.
However, we do not undertake to review material before it is Posted on the Site, and while we strive for a considerate and supportive environment, we cannot ensure prompt removal of objectionable material after it has been Posted. We are not responsible or liable to any third party for the content or accuracy of any User Contributions Posted by you or any other user of the Site. We have no liability or responsibility to anyone for performance or nonperformance of the activities described in this section.
Copyright Infringement
IMF takes claims of copyright infringement seriously, and strives to offer a platform that respects the intellectual property rights of others. To promote these objectives, we will evaluate notices of alleged copyright infringement that comply with applicable law. If you have a good faith belief that the Site or any User Contributions violate your copyright, you may request removal of such content by submitting written notification to our designated copyright agent. Such notice must include:
- Your physical or electronic signature.
- Identification of the copyrighted work you believe is being infringed.
- Identification of the material you believe to be infringing in a sufficiently precise manner to allow us to locate that material.
- Adequate information by which we can contact you (including your name, address, phone number, and email address).
- A statement, under penalty of perjury that (a) you have a good faith belief that use of the copyrighted material is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; (b) that the information in the written notice is accurate; and (c) that you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner.
- Your acknowledgement that a copy of the notice, including your contact information, may be forwarded to a user associated with the accused content.
Our designated copyright agent to receive notices is:
Jen Scarne
Copyright Agent, International Myeloma Foundation
4400 Coldwater Canyon, Suite 300
Studio City, CA 91604
818-487-7455
[email protected]
All notices of copyright infringement claims should be sent to the copyright agent designated above. It is the policy of IMF to terminate the user accounts of repeat infringers.
Your Relationship with Us
We do not practice medicine and we are not a healthcare provider or provider of any other professional service. By using the Site, including its chat interface and telephone InfoLine, you are not entering into a doctor-patient or other provider-patient relationship with us or any of our employees, contractors, or agents. If you interact with any of our employees, contractors, or agents who hold clinical licenses, or if any of the content on our Site is authored by a clinician, you understand and agree that the services that they are providing through our Site, and the information provided, is educational in nature and not clinical care. IF YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, IMMEDIATELY CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER OR DIAL 911.
Reliance on Information Posted
The information presented on or through the Site, including the chat interface and any third-party resources, is made available solely for general information purposes and should not be considered or used as medical advice or treatment. We do not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information. Any reliance you place on such information should be at the direction of your healthcare provider and is strictly at your own risk. We disclaim all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on such materials, content, or electronic interactions by you or any other visitor to the Site, or by anyone who may be informed of any of its contents.
This Site may include content provided by third parties, including materials provided by other users, bloggers, and third-party licensors, syndicators, aggregators, and/or reporting services. All statements and/or opinions expressed in these materials, and all articles and responses to questions and other content, other than the content provided by IMF, are solely the opinions and the responsibility of the person or entity providing those materials. These materials do not necessarily reflect the opinion of IMF. We are not responsible, or liable to you or any third party, for the content or accuracy of any materials provided by any third parties.
Linking to the Site
You may link to our Site, provided you do so in a way that is fair and legal and does not damage our reputation or take advantage of it, but you must not establish a link in such a way as to suggest any form of association, approval, or endorsement on our part without our express written consent. You agree to cooperate with us in causing any unauthorized framing or linking immediately to stop. We reserve the right to withdraw linking permission at our discretion.
Links from the Site
For your convenience, there are hyperlinks throughout the Site to other related sites which are not under the control of the IMF. These links are provided as a service to our visitors and users and for your reference only. The IMF is not responsible for the terms or privacy practices of web sites hyperlinked or listed as resources on its site. It is your responsibility to review the privacy policy and user conditions of any other web site referred to herein, and you access such third-party content at your own risk.
Disclaimer of Warranties
You understand that we cannot and do not guarantee or warrant that files available for downloading from the internet or the Site will be free of viruses or other destructive code. You are responsible for implementing sufficient procedures and checkpoints to satisfy your particular requirements for anti-virus protection and accuracy of data input and output, and for maintaining a means external to our site for any reconstruction of any lost data. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, WE WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED BY A DISTRIBUTED DENIAL-OF-SERVICE ATTACK, VIRUSES, OR OTHER TECHNOLOGICALLY HARMFUL MATERIAL THAT MAY INFECT YOUR COMPUTER EQUIPMENT, COMPUTER PROGRAMS, DATA, OR OTHER PROPRIETARY MATERIAL DUE TO YOUR USE OF THE SITE OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE SITE OR TO YOUR DOWNLOADING OF ANY MATERIAL POSTED ON IT, OR ON ANY SITE LINKED TO IT.
THE SITE, ITS CONTENT, AND ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE SITE ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS, WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND YOUR USE OF THE SITE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. NEITHER IMF NOR ANY PERSON ASSOCIATED WITH IMF MAKES ANY WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION WITH RESPECT TO THE COMPLETENESS, SECURITY, RELIABILITY, QUALITY, ACCURACY, OR AVAILABILITY OF THE SITE. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, NEITHER IMF NOR ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH IMF REPRESENTS OR WARRANTS THAT THE SITE, ITS CONTENT, OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE SITE WILL BE ACCURATE, RELIABLE, ERROR-FREE, OR UNINTERRUPTED, THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED, THAT OUR SITE OR THE SERVER THAT MAKES IT AVAILABLE ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS, OR THAT THE SITE OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE SITE WILL OTHERWISE MEET YOUR NEEDS OR EXPECTATIONS.
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, IMF HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE FOREGOING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY WARRANTIES THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.
Limitation on Liability
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT WILL THE COLLECTIVE LIABILITY OF IMF AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES, AND THEIR LICENSORS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OFFICERS, AND DIRECTORS, TO ANY PARTY (REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF ACTION, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, OR OTHERWISE) EXCEED THE AMOUNT YOU HAVE PAID TO IMF FOR THE APPLICABLE SERVICE WITHIN THE LAST 12 MONTHS.
THE FOREGOING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY LIABILITY THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.
Dispute Resolution
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING SECTION CAREFULLY BECAUSE IT REQUIRES YOU TO ARBITRATE CERTAIN DISPUTES AND CLAIMS AND LIMITS THE MANNER IN WHICH YOU CAN SEEK RELIEF FROM US.
- Choice of Law; Venue. You agree that all matters relating to your access to or use of the Site, including all disputes, will be governed by the laws of the United States and by the laws of the State of California without regard to its conflicts of laws provisions. You agree to the personal jurisdiction by and venue in the state and federal courts in the State of California, and waive any objection to such jurisdiction or venue. You and IMF agree that these Terms affect interstate commerce and that the enforceability of this Section shall be both substantively and procedurally governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. § 1 et seq. (the “FAA”), to the maximum extent not prohibited by applicable law.
- Statute of Limitations. Any claim under these Terms must be brought within one year after the cause of action arises, or such claim or cause of action is barred. The prevailing party will be entitled to costs and attorneys’ fees.
- Binding Arbitration. In the interest of resolving disputes between you and IMF in the most expedient and cost-effective manner, you and IMF agree that any dispute arising out of or in any way related to these Terms or your use of the Site will be resolved by binding arbitration. Arbitration uses a neutral arbitrator instead of a judge or jury and can be subject to very limited review by courts. This agreement to arbitrate disputes includes all claims arising out of or in any way related to these Terms, IMF’s Privacy Policy, or your use of the Site, whether based in contract, tort, statute, fraud, misrepresentation, or any other legal theory, and regardless of whether a claim arises during or after the termination of these Terms (each, a “Dispute”). YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT, BY ENTERING INTO THESE TERMS, YOU AND IMF ARE EACH WAIVING THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY OR TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS OR COLLECTIVE ACTION. YOU FURTHER UNDERSTAND THAT THESE DISPUTE RESOLUTION TERMS WILL APPLY TO YOU AND IMF UNLESS YOU CHOOSE TO OPT OUT PURSUANT TO BELOW. Whether to agree to arbitration is an important business decision. It is your decision to make, and you should not rely solely on the information provided in these Terms as it is not intended to contain a complete explanation of the consequences of arbitration. You should take further steps to conduct research and to consult with others, including an attorney, regarding the consequences of your decision. Nothing in these Terms, including the paragraph directly above, will be deemed to waive, preclude, or otherwise limit the right of either party to: (i) bring an individual action in small claims court; (ii) bring an action in a court pursuant to the California Private Attorneys General Act of 2004, California Labor Code § 2698 et seq.; (iii) seek injunctive relief in a court of law; or (iv) to file suit in a court of law to address an intellectual property infringement claim (collectively, “Excluded Disputes”).
- No Class Arbitrations, Class Actions or Representative Actions. YOU AND IMF AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING (OTHER THAN ACTIONS UNDER THE CALIFORNIA PRIVATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL ACT OF 2004, California Labor Code § 2698 et seq. WHICH ARE NOT COVERED BY THIS DISPUTE SOLUTION PROVISION). Further, unless both you and IMF agree otherwise, the arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person’s claims, and may not otherwise preside over any form of a representative or class proceeding.
- Process. Except for Excluded Disputes, you and IMF agree that any Dispute must be commenced or filed by you or IMF within the applicable statute of limitations period, otherwise the underlying claim is permanently barred. You and IMF agree that (a) any arbitration will occur in the State of California, Los Angeles, (b) arbitration will be conducted confidentially by a single arbitrator in accordance with Commercial Dispute Resolution Procedures and the Supplementary Procedures for Consumer Related Disputes (collectively, “AAA Rules”) of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”), as modified by these Terms, and will be administered by the AAA, and (c) that the state or federal courts of the State of California and the United States, respectively have exclusive jurisdiction over the enforcement of an arbitration award. The arbitrator may only conduct an individual arbitration and may not consolidate more than one individual’s claims, preside over any type of class or representative proceeding or preside over any proceeding involving more than one individual.
- Rules of AAA. The AAA Rules and filing forms are available online at www.adr.org, by calling the AAA at 1-800-778-7879. By agreeing to be bound by these Terms, you either (a) acknowledge and agree that you have read and understand the AAA Rules, or (b) waive your opportunity to read the AAA Rules and any claim that the AAA Rules are unfair or should not apply for any reason.
- Opt-Out Right. You have the right to opt out of binding arbitration within 30 days of the date you first accepted the terms of this Section by writing to [email protected]. In order to be effective, the opt out notice must include your full name and clearly indicate your intent to opt out of binding arbitration. By opting out of binding arbitration, you are agreeing to resolve disputes in accordance with the laws of the State of California and the federal laws of the United States of America. Should you choose not to opt out of this Dispute Resolution provision within the 30-day period, you and IMF will be bound by the terms of this Dispute Resolution provision. You have the right to consult with counsel of your choice concerning this Dispute Resolution provision. You understand that you will not be subject to retaliation if you exercise your right to opt out of coverage under this Dispute Resolution provision.
Governing Law and Jurisdiction
All matters relating to the Site and these Terms, and any dispute or claim arising therefrom or related thereto, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of California, without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule. Any legal suit, action, or proceeding arising out of, or related to, these Terms or the Site not subject to the Dispute Resolution section above shall be instituted exclusively in the federal or state courts of Los Angeles County, California. You waive any and all objections to the exercise of jurisdiction over you by such courts and to venue in such courts.
Limitation on Time to File Claims
ANY CAUSE OF ACTION OR CLAIM YOU MAY HAVE ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR THE SITE MUST BE COMMENCED WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR AFTER THE CAUSE OF ACTION ACCRUES; OTHERWISE, SUCH CAUSE OF ACTION OR CLAIM IS PERMANENTLY BARRED.
Waiver and Severability
No waiver by IMF of any term or condition set out in these Terms shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such term or condition or a waiver of any other term or condition, and any failure of IMF to assert a right or provision under these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. If any provision of these Terms is held by a court or other tribunal of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable for any reason, such provision shall be eliminated or limited to the minimum extent such that the remaining provisions of the Terms will continue in full force and effect.
Entire Agreement
These Terms and our Privacy Policy constitute the sole and entire agreement between you and IMF, and supersede all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations, and warranties, both written and oral, regarding the Site.
Your Comments and Concerns
The Site is operated by the International Myeloma Foundation, headquartered at:
4400 Coldwater Canyon Ave., Suite 300
Studio City, CA 91604, USA
We welcome any questions, comments, or concerns you may have regarding these Terms. Please contact us by email ([email protected]) or via the address above.
Last Modified: August 15, 2024