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Immunize BC

Terms of Use

PLEASE READ THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS SITE.

Introduction

The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), is pleased to provide and support the ImmunizeBC website (the “Site”) as an online education and outreach service for residents of British Columbia, Canada. By accessing and using the Site, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use, including the disclaimers and limitations of liability set out below. If you do not agree to be bound by any of these Terms of Use, please exit this Site immediately and do not access any other pages.  
 
These Terms of Use may change from time to time without notice.  It is important that you periodically review these Terms of Use and it is your responsibility to check for future updates. By using this Site, you are agreeing to be bound by the current version of these Terms of Use. The last revision date for these Terms of Use is identified at the bottom of this page.
 

About the Site and the Services it Provides

The information on the Site is provided for educational purposes only and is intended to offer only general information that individuals may choose to follow up with their physician or other qualified health care professionals.  It does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for advice given by your physician or other qualified health care professional. 
 
If you have concerns about your medical condition or health, you should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care professionals.  Never disregard medical advice or delay seeking medical advice because of information on the Site.  Please consult with your physician or other qualified health care professional before making any decision regarding treatment and/or medication.
 
Immunization care providers at ImmunizeBC are available to provide education and referral services in response to questions that are submitted to the Site, either through the “Ask Us” or the “Chat” features on the Site.  These providers are either physicians or Registered Nurses certified in British Columbia, Canada, to practice in the area of immunization.  ImmunizeBC health care providers cannot make diagnoses online.  Only your physician or health care professional can make a diagnosis or provide medical advice or treatment. 
 
This Site is not intended to provide, and should not be used to obtain, emergency medical support or crisis counseling.   If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. ImmunizeBC does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Site. Reliance on any information provided by ImmunizeBC, ImmunizeBC employees, others appearing on the Site at the invitation of ImmunizeBC, or other visitors to the Site is solely at your own risk. 
 

Your Account

You do not have to have an account to enjoy most Site features. However, health care providers will need an account to access some of the services on the Site. This requirement is to protect the ImmunizeBC from misuse and fraudulent use (e.g., spam) of the Site. All users of the Site must comply with these Terms of Use, regardless of whether they have an account on the Site.
 
You will need to provide your email address, a username and a password to create an account. Once you have created an account, your email address and password will be required to log into your account. Because your username will display when you post content, we strongly discourage the use of your real name or other potentially identifying information in your username.  Your account information will be kept confidential. You must comply the Community Guidelines set out below regarding your username.
 
You must not allow anyone else to access or use your username, password or account, You are solely responsible and liable for all activity conducted through your account.  You must immediately report to ImmunizeBC if you become aware of or reasonably suspect any security breach regarding your account.
 

Disclaimer and Limitation of Liability

ImmunizeBC works hard to ensure that the information presented on the Site is as accurate as possible, and reflects available medical and scientific information and treatment options.   However, we do not guarantee or warrant the quality, accuracy, completeness, timeliness, appropriateness or suitability of the information provided.  Users are strongly advised to seek independent medical advice from qualified professionals, and any reliance on any information appearing on the Site is at the user’s own risk.
 
Your use of the Site, your account, and the information and services available on or through the Site might be interrupted and will not be free of errors.  Any of the Site, your account, the information and services available on or through the Site may be unavailable from time-to-time due to routine maintenance, upgrades, hardware or software malfunctions, repairs, power outages, hackers, denial of service attacks, unforeseeably large service demands, or other reasons beyond the ImmunizeBC’s control.
 
THE SITE AND THE INFORMATION AND SERVICES AVAILABLE ON OR THROUGH THE SITE ARE PROVIDED “AS-IS” AND “AS-AVAILABLE”. THE BCCDC EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, REPRESENTATIONS AND CONDITIONS REGARDING THE USE OF THE SITE OR THE INFORMATION AND/OR SERVICES AVAILABLE ON OR THROUGH THE SITE. 
 
THE BCCDC DOES NOT REPRESENT OR WARRANT THAT: (A) THE SITE OR THE INFORMATION AND SERVICES AVAILABLE ON OR THROUGH THE SITE ARE ACCURATE, COMPLETE, RELIABLE, CURRENT OR ERROR-FREE; (B) ANY PROCEDURES, ADVICE OR TREATMENTS REFERRED TO ON THE SITE ARE SUITABLE OR EFFECTIVE OR WILL HAVE ANY SPECIFIC RESULT OR OUTCOME (C) THE SITE AND ITS AVAILABILITY WILL BE SECURE, UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE; (D) THE SITE WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS OR EXPECTATIONS; OR (E) THAT THE SITE IS FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS.
 
ImmunizeBC  assumes no obligation to update the information on the Site or advise on further developments concerning topics mentioned. The information and services available on or through the Site may also be changed from time to time without notice.  Certain portions of the information may express the opinions or contributions of third parties.  Its inclusion on the Site should not be interpreted as any endorsement or recommendation of such opinions or views, but rather is intended to ensure that certain viewpoints are represented.  Accordingly, ImmunizeBC provides no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or correctness of such materials.  Nor does the reference to specific products or services on the Site constitute or imply a recommendation or endorsement by ImmunizeBC, unless explicitly stated.
 
By using the Site, you agree that to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law the BCCDC, PHSA, and their respective officers, directors, employees, contractors, agents and representatives, including all BCCDC content providers (including without limitation the nurses and physicians who contribute to the information on the Site) and all those who operate any of the services available on the Site (collectively the “BCCDC Releases”) shall have no liability whether direct, indirect, consequential, contingent, special or incidental related to or arising out of or in connection with the use of the Site, the inability to use the Site, the content on the Site or the reliance by any user on the information or services available in or through the Site, whether such liability arises out of an action for breach of contract, negligence or other tortious action, or other theory of liability, and even if the BCCDC has been advised of the possibility of such liability. 
 
You also agree that none of the BCCDC Releasees shall be liable for any losses, damages or claims suffered or incurred by you as a result of any failure by you to protect your password or your information on the site to which access is restricted (i.e., your ImmunizeBC account). 
 
IF, DESPITE THE LIMITATIONS SET OUT ABOVE, THE BCCDC BECOMES LIABLE TO YOU IN RESPECT OF ANY OF THE SITE, YOUR ACCOUNT, OR THE INFORMATION OR SERVICES AVAILABLE ON OR THROUGH THE SITE, THAT LIABILITY WILL BE LIMITED TO $25.
 

Indemnity

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT ALL USE OF THE INFORMATION AND SERVICES AVAILABLE ON THE SITE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK, AND BY USING SUCH INFORMATION AND SERVICES YOU AGREE TO INDEMNIFY AND SAVE HARMLESS THE BCCDC RELEASEES, OR ANY ONE OR MORE OF THEM, FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITY, LOSS, INJURY, DAMAGES, COSTS AND EXPENSES (INCLUDING LEGAL FEES AND EXPENSES) THAT ANY ONE OR MORE OF THEM MAY SUFFER OR INCUR ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO SUCH USE OF THE INFORMATION AND SERVICES ON THE SITE, ANY CONTENT THAT YOU POST ON THE SITE, OR ANY INFORMATION OR SERVICES THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE FROM OTHER WEBSITES THAT ARE LINKED TO FROM THE SITE. 
 

Community Guidelines

There are some sections of the Site that allow users to post content to the Site in the form of questions, comments.  Community Guidelines have been developed to protect visitors to and users of the Site. If you access the Site and post content to the Site, you are required to follow the Community Guidelines outlined below.
 
  • Personal information.  Do not give us personally identifiably information unless we expressly request it.  If you create an account on the Site, your username will be publically visible anytime you submit a comment. When creating your username do not use your real name or include profanity or other offensive or defamatory language in your username.  Do not include information that may potentially identify you or other people in any content you provide; this includes names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, chatroom handles or physical descriptions.
  • Appropriate content. Respect the nurses and other users of the Site.  Use appropriate language when posting content to the Site, and when engaging in chat room conversations.  Do not post content that: (a) is abusive, hateful, obscene, threatening, harassing, harmful, defamatory or libellous; (b) is fraudulent, deceptive or misleading; (c) violates another person’s copyright, trade-mark or other intellectual property rights; (d) contains personal information about you or any other person; (e) contains or links to photographs or videos; or (f) is otherwise unlawful or objectionable to ImmunizeBC.
  • Personal views.  You confirm that the contents you post are statements of your personal views and opinions and not those of ImmunizeBC or any other person.
  • Do not solicit.  Any questions that attempt to sell a product or service will not be answered and/or posted by the moderator.  Any comments that attempt to sell a product or service will be deleted by the moderator. The Site is not a dating or a hook-up service; any attempt to use the Site for this purpose will be deleted by the moderator and further action (deleting your account, blocking your IP address) may be taken.
  • Unauthorized use. Users are prohibited from posting malicious or unauthorized code (e.g., viruses, bots, worms, spyware, Trojan horses, etc.) or other potentially harmful material to the Site that may interrupt, damage or limit the functionality of the Site of the use of the Site by others.  Users are prohibited from using the Site for spamming, phishing or other similar schemes. Users are prohibited from posting links to other websites that enable those other sites to passively collect information from the Site (deep linking) or to pull entire sections of the Site’s wireframes (framing).

About the Content that You Access

  • Not our views.  Third-party content posted on the Site does not necessarily reflect the ImmunizeBC's views or opinions. ImmunizeBC assumes no responsibility or liability for any such content, including any content that: (a) is abusive, hateful, obscene, threatening, harassing, harmful, defamatory or libellous; (b) is fraudulent, deceptive or misleading; (c) violates another person’s copyright, trade-mark or other intellectual property rights; (d) contains personal information about any person; or (e) is otherwise unlawful or objectionable. In addition, ImmunizeBC assumes no responsibility or liability for, and makes no express or implied warranties as to the accuracy or reliability of, any third-party content on the Site.
  • Not moderated.  ImmunizeBC does not moderate or review third-party comments before they are displayed on the Site.
  • Right to remove.  ImmunizeBC reserves the right, to be exercised in its sole discretion, to remove any content from the Site for any reason and at any time, but has no obligation to do so. ImmunizeBC will have no liability for any decision to remove, or not to remove, content from the Site.
  • Removal Requests.  Any party may request in writing to the ImmunizeBC that third-party content be removed from the Site on the grounds that the posting does not comply with the Community Guidelines or any other provision of these Terms of Use. ImmunizeBC is not obligated to remove any content upon receiving a request to do so, but may remove any content in its sole discretion as described above.

About the Content that You Provide

  • Posting.  Third-party comments posted on the Site are visible immediately.
  • Compliance.  You must comply with the Community Guidelines and these Terms of Use when you post any content to the Site. Your failure to do so may result in the deletion of your content or account and/or the blocking of your IP address for further access to or participation on the Site. ImmunizeBC will cooperate with any law enforcement authorities or court order requesting or directing ImmunizeBC to disclose the identity of anyone posting content that is unlawful or violates another person’s rights.
  • Lisence grant.  When you submit content to the Site (questions, comments, chat room conversations, videos, audio, text), you consent to the publication of that content on the Site. By submitting content, you also grant ImmunizeBC the nonexclusive, royalty-free, fully-paid, perpetual, irrevocable, and fully sub-licensable right to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, and display such content throughout the world in any media and for any purpose, as long as all personally identifying information is deleted, without further notice or consideration to you.
ImmunizeBC reserves the right to reproduce or modify all or part of a question or other content submitted to the Site before or after publication.  Questions submitted for public answering may be reworded at the ImmunizeBC's discretion.  Questions submitted with a request for a private response may be reworded or paraphrased and posted publically and anonymously at ImmunizeBC’s discretion if the ImmunizeBC believes that the answer will be of value and benefit to a wider population.  Third-party comments may be edited by ImmunizeBC at the ImmunizeBC’s discretion.
 
THIRD-PARTY CONTENT POSTED On the Site IS the responsibility of the POSTER; the ImmunizeBC assumes no responsibility for ANY SUCH content, or from any and all repercussions, damages or liability resulting from THAT CONTENT.
 

User Surveys

As part of our efforts to improve user experience, we may invite you to participate in voluntary surveys. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for details on how we collect and use your data in these surveys.
 

Our Privacy Policy

Our Privacy Policy describes the collection, use and disclosure of information on ImmunizeBC.ca. By accessing and using the Site, you agree that our Privacy Policy applies to the information you provide when you use the Site.
 

Links

Any links provided by ImmunizeBC on the Site to other external or third-party websites are provided as a reference to help you identify and locate other internet resources that may be of interest. These external websites were independently developed by other parties and ImmunizeBC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or appropriateness of the information contained at, or endorse the viewpoints expressed on such websites.   Your use of any third party website is at your own risk and is subject to the terms of use of such website. ImmunizeBC is not liable for any acts, omissions or conduct of third parties associated with external websites. ImmunizeBC does not guarantee the privacy policies on external websites and encourages reviewing individual privacy policies before using an external website.
 
Where an external website provides a hypertext link to the Website, ImmunizeBC has no responsibility for the content of the external website and does not endorse, authorize, approve, certify, maintain or control the external internet address and does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, efficacy or timeliness of the information located at that Internet address.
 

Modifications

From time to time and without notice ImmunizeBC may add new features to the Site, remove existing features from the Site, or otherwise modify the Site and the information and services available on or through the Site (including their functionality, “look-and-feel”, universal resource locators and software components).
 

Copyright

The BCCDC  owns or has authority to use the Site and all information and content, including any icons, images, video, audio, text, illustrations, computer software and code on the Site (collectively the “Proprietary Content”), and owns or has acquired all the necessary licenses for any related intellectual property, including copyright. The Site as a whole and the Proprietary Content is the property of the BCCDC and is protected under national and international copyright laws and other laws.
 
You are granted a limited licence to access, display, download, print and reproduce reasonable portions of the Site for your personal, non-commercial use only, provided the information is not modified and all copyright and other proprietary notices are retained. Any other use is strictly prohibited without permission from ImmunizeBC.  None of the information, in whole or in party, may be otherwise reproduced, republished or re-disseminated in any manner or form without our prior written consent. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as conferring any right in any copyright in any of the information provided on the Site.
 

Trade-marks

Any names, words, titles, phrases, logos, designs, graphics or icons appearing on the Site may be registered or unregistered trade-marks, official marks, service marks or trade-names and may be the property of BCCDC or third parties. Though third party marks may be used by BCCDC subject to a licence agreement, mere display of a third-party’s trade-marks does not indicate or imply any relationship between BCCDC and that third party, or indicate that BCCDC approves of any of the wares or services used in association with that trade-mark.
 
Nothing contained herein implies that a licence has been granted to you in respect of any official marks, trade-marks, service marks or trade names displayed on the site, unless prior written permission of BCCDC or the respective owner of any third-party trade-mark is obtained.
 

Applicable Law

The laws in effect in the Province of British Columbia shall govern these Terms of Use and any dispute or claim based on or arising from your use of the Site. You agree that any action or proceeding relating to this agreement or your use of the Site shall only be brought by you in the courts of the Province of British Columbia and will be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action. The website is intended for use by residents of British Columbia, Canada only.
 

Entire Agreement

If any part of these Terms of Use is found void and unenforceable, it will not affect the validity of the balance of the remaining Terms of Use, which will remain valid and enforceable.  These Terms of Use set forth the entire understanding and agreement between us and you with respect to your use of the Site.
 
Questions, concerns or complaints about ImmunizeBC.ca Terms of Use should be submitted to [email protected].
 
Copyright © 2012. Provincial Health Services Authority. All Rights Reserved.
Date last reviewed: 
Monday, Oct 07, 2024