PRIVACY POLICY

The following privacy policy applies to the use of the website www.merzmedicalforum.com (hereinafter "Website").
When you do business with a company of the Merz group (“Merz”), we know that you trust us to take care of your personal information. Trust is an important Merz value, and we aim to earn your trust not just by providing safe, effective pharmaceutical and medical devices, but also by responsibly managing your personal data. This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) explains who is responsible for processing and caring for your personal data when you are visiting our website as well as details relating to when, where and how we use, protect, store, delete and sometimes transfer your personal data.
If you have any questions or comments about how Merz processes your data, please contact our Data Protection Officer by mail or e-mail at:
Data Protection Officer Merz Aesthetics GmbH Eckenheimer Landstrasse 100 60318 Frankfurt am Main Germany datenschutz-aesthetics@merz.de

Responsibility for the processing of your personal data

Merz Aesthetics GmbH (Merz) processes your data in accordance with the data protection provisions set forth in the German Federal Data Protection Act (Bundesdatenschutzgesetz–BDSG), specifically in the version applicable as of 25 May 2018, and in Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation–GDPR).

General Information

Personal data is information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person, such as your name, email address, training information, national identification number, physical, physiological, mental, economic, cultural, social identifiers and, in some cases, IP address or mobile device identifier.
Merz collects personal data about you so that we can (1) provide you access to this website; (2) provide you information and or promotions regarding Merz products and (3) to improve your experience of our website. For example, we may ask if you would like to receive information about our products or promotions, in which case we may ask you for personal data such as your name, mailing address or email address.
Merz also collects personal data about you when you register for the site ("Registration Data") that allows you to continue to access its restricted content. Registration Data includes your name, email address, content you have watched on the site and the geographic area where you practice. Merz may use this data for marketing purposes, where legally permissible. In this case, we may edit it in relation to the purpose of the processing and forward it to the appropriate contact person in your country so that we can contact you in accordance with your specific interest.
Furthermore in some cases, you will be asked for further consent, as the content of the video/podcast/article may be considered as off-label content in your country. Your consent is stored in connection with your user profile in order to provide appropriate answers in case of queries.
Merz also automatically collects technical information when you visit our websites such as your Internet Protocol ("IP") address, internet browser type, browser language, and the date and time of your visit. Gathering this information helps protect the security of our websites and helps us understand aggregate statistical information regarding how our website is used. It also allows us to register you and provide you credentials to use the site. Merz also uses your IP address to help identify geographic-specific content to make sure you see information applicable to you as a user from your country of residence.
The legal basis for the processing of the data is Art. 6 (1) S. 1 lit. b and f DS-GVO.
One way that we collect information is through session cookies. A "cookie" is a unique numeric code that we transfer to your computer so that we can remember your preferences, operate the website with limited interruption and recognize you as a return visitor. In addition we may use cookies to collect anonymous, aggregate information regarding website use generally so that we can improve our website design and your experience. Most browsers automatically accept cookies. However, you may set your browser to alert you when a cookie is being sent so that you can block them if you wish.
By changing the settings of the Internet browser, you can disable or restrict the transfer of cookies. Cookies that have already been stored can be deleted at any time. This can also be done automatically. If cookies are deactivated for the Websites, it may no longer be possible to use all functions of the websites to their full extent.
The legal basis for the processing of personal data using cookies is Art. 6 (1) S. 1 lit. f DS-GVO.

Absolutely necessary cookies

Cookie Subgroup: merzmedicalforum.com
Cookies: hey-sessionid
Used Cookies: 1st Party

Analysis Cookies

These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so that we can measure and improve the performance of the Website. With your help, we can see which of our pages are the most popular or least popular, how users move around our Website, if they receive error messages, etc. This information is primarily used to improve our Website. For clarification, web analytics are included in this cookie category. These cookies do not store information that directly identifies an individual, but are based on a unique identification of your browser and Internet device (including other technical data such as your IP address, operating system, Internet provider, website from which you are visiting us, etc.). Unless you accept these cookies, we cannot analyze when users have visited our website.

Functional cookies

These cookies allow the website to remember your choices (for example, your username, language, or the country you are in, etc.) and provide advanced and personalized features. Such cookies are also used to remember changes you have made to the text size, font and other parts of the website. They may also be used to provide services that you have requested (for example, a video playback or blog comment). These cookies do not store information that directly identifies an individual, but are based on a unique identification of your browser and Internet terminal equipment (including other technical details such as IP address, operating system, Internet service provider, referring website, etc.). If you do not allow these cookies, some or all services on the website may not function properly.

Google Analytics

This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google (Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland). Merz uses Google Analytics to analyze how visitors use our site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of this website (including your IP address) will be transferred to and stored on a Google server in the USA. We use an anonymized Google Analytics application that truncates your IP address. If you reside within the European Union or the European Economic Areas, Google shortens your IP address prior to transferring it to the USA. In rare instances, the full IP address is transferred to a Google server in the USA and shortened there. Google uses this information to evaluate your use of the website, compile reports on website activity and provide other services relating to website activity and Internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process this information on Google’s behalf. The IP address transmitted from your browser through Google Analytics will not be associated with other data held by Google. You can prevent the storage of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser software. However, please note that if you do this you may not be able to make full use of all the functions of this website. You may opt out of the collection and storage of data by Google at any time with future effect by downloading and installing a deactivation add-on for your browser. This will prevent Google Analytics from collecting and processing data about your website visits. For more information and instructions on download and installation, go to http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout, where you can also download the deactivation add-on. You can also click here to opt-out of Google Analytics.

Accessing Embedded Videos

The website uses embedded videos, which are hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS). You can read AWS’s privacy policy here: https://aws.amazon.com/privacy. If you do not consent to have AWS process your data, you will be unable to use the Website. By browsing or using our website, you are consenting to this use and transfer of your personal data.
Merz uses plugins from the service providers listed below to integrate media files.
When you access a page of the Website that is provided with such a plugin, a connection to the service provider’s servers is established. This transmits to the server which of our web pages you have visited. If you are logged in as a member of third-party platforms associated with the plugins, this information may be assigned to your personal user account. When using the plugin, such as clicking on the start button of a video, this information is also assigned to your user account. You can prevent this assignment by logging out of your user account on that platform before using our website and deleting the corresponding cookies.

Media Plugin Providers

Articulate Global, Inc.

244 5th Avenue, Suite 2960 New York, NY 10001, USA Data Protection Information: https://articulate.com/privacy

Other Plugins

The Medical Inquiry Assistant on the website is provided by “Landbot.io” (property of HELLO UMI S.L., Calle Paris, 82 bajo 1 - Barcelona – 08029, Spain). For reasons of documentation, Landbot.io stores data regarding the specific time, user, location, site, topic, product and landmark of each medical inquiry. Please find additional information here: https://landbot.io/privacy-policy

Links to other Websites or Apps to Download

Where this Website contains links to other Merz Group websites (e.g. expert group website) or websites belonging to third-party companies, or provides apps to download, this privacy policy does not apply. Please see those websites or apps for information about how they manage your personal data.

Contact Form

If you use the contact form to send us a message or contact us by other means (such as by e-mail), we may store this message in order to process your request. We will use your personal information for the purpose specified by you in the contact form. If it is necessary to send information or documents to third parties outside of Merz, we will first remove all personal data not required for fulfil your request. Merz uses reasonable measures, such as the European Commissions’ standard contractual clauses to protect any personal data transferred outside of the European Union, regardless whether such data is processed by affiliated Merz companies or by other third parties.

Passing on personal data to (other) third parties

Merz relies on the support of specialized technical service providers for the technical processing of personal data. These service providers are carefully selected and are legally and contractually committed to ensuring a high level of data protection. The legal basis for our partnerships with these service providers is Art. 28 GDPR. In connection with the provision of the registration portal, HeyPlatform (Athletia Invest GmbH) acts as service provider on behalf of Merz. The registration portal is hosted on servers of Amazon Web Services (AWS).

NEWSLETTER

With the following information, we inform you about the contents of our newsletter as well as the registration, dispatch and statistical evaluation procedure and your rights of objection. By subscribing to our newsletter, you agree to receive it to the procedures described below. Content of the newsletter: We send newsletters, e-mails and other electronic notifications with new content on our website, services, webcasts (hereinafter "Newsletter") only with the consent of the recipients or a legal permission. Double-Opt-In and logging: The registration for our newsletter takes place in a so-called double-opt-in procedure. This means that after registration you will receive an e-mail in which you are asked to confirm your registration. This confirmation is necessary so that no one can register with other e-mail addresses. The registrations for the newsletter are logged in order to be able to prove the registration process according to the legal requirements. This includes the storage of the registration and confirmation time, as well as the IP address. Changes to your data stored with the shipping service provider are also logged. Shipping service provider: The newsletter is sent by CleverReach GmbH & Co. KG, Schafjückenweg 2, 26180 Rastede, Germany (hereinafter referred to as "shipping service provider"). You can view the privacy policy of the shipping service provider here: https://www.cleverreach.com/de/datenschutz/ . Furthermore, according to its own information, the service provider may use this data in pseudonymous form, i.e. without assigning it to a user, to optimize or improve its own services, e.g. to technically optimize the dispatch and presentation of the newsletters or for statistical purposes to determine which countries the recipients come from. However, the service provider does not use the data of our Newsletter recipients to write to them itself or to pass them on to third parties. The subscribed newsletters contain so-called tracking pixels. A tracking pixel is a miniature graphic that is embedded in e-mails in HTML format. Merz can use the embedded tracking pixel to recognize whether and when the newsletter was opened by the recipient and which links contained in the newsletter were called up by the recipient. Data collected via tracking pixels contained in the newsletters are stored and processed anonymously for statistical purposes in order to optimize the newsletter dispatch and to better adapt the content of future newsletters to the interests of the recipients. The use of the service provider, performance of the statistical surveys and analyses as well as logging of the registration process, are carried out on the basis of our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 (1) lit. f DSGVO. Our interest is directed towards the use of a user-friendly as well as secure newsletter system that serves our business interests as well as meets the expectations of the users. Cancellation/revocation: You can cancel the receipt of our newsletter at any time, i.e. revoke your consent. You will find a link to cancel the newsletter at the end of each newsletter. If the users have cancelled the newsletter receipt, the users' personal data processed for its sending will be deleted.

Duration of the retention of your data

Unless otherwise stated in this Privacy Policy, personal data will be erased by Merz if it is no longer needed for the purposes for which it was processed and if the retention periods prescribed by law have expired. Contractually relevant data are usually erased ten years after the termination of the respective contract with Merz.

Your Rights

Under the EU General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR"), you have the right to request a copy of your personal data stored at Merz or at Merz’s contractors (Article 15 GDPR). We kindly ask you to send such requests in written form stating your name, address and phone number, so that we can confirm your identity. You also have the right to request corrections (Article 16 GDPR) or deletion (Article 17 GDPR) of your personal data stored at Merz. You may contact the Data Protection Officer of Merz under:
Merz Aesthetics GmbH Eckenheimer Landstrasse 100 60318 Frankfurt am Main Germany datenschutz-aesthetics@merz.de

Right to object to processing of personal data and lodge a complaint

We want to know if you are dissatisfied with the handling of your personal data so that we can address the issue to your satisfaction. If you wish to object to processing of your personal data at any time (Article 21 GDPR) you are invited to send your concern about the processing of your personal data to the Data Protection Officer of Merz under the address or e-mail address given above. We kindly ask you to send such concerns (or objection) in written form stating your name, address and phone number, so that we can confirm your identity.
Further, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in the event that the handling of your personal data infringes the GDPR (Art. 77 GDPR). You can find a list of supervisory authorities here. The supervisory authority competent for us is: Der Hessische Beauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit, PO Box 3163, 65021 Wiesbaden, email-address: poststelle@datenschutz.hessen.de
If you have any further questions with regard to the handling of your personal data that this privacy policy couldn’t answer or if you would like to receive more detailed information on a certain subject, please feel free to contact us at any time. Please use the contact details provided above.