Privacy Policy
Your visit to the Biospecimens/Biorepositories Web site is private and secure. We do not collect any personally identifiable information (PII) about you, unless you choose to explicitly provide it to us. We do, however, collect some data about your visit to our Web site to help us better understand public use of the site and to make it more useful to visitors. This page describes the information that is automatically collected and stored.
When you browse through any Web site, certain information about your visit can be collected and stored. We use Google Urchin to collect information and conduct analyses and reports. The following information is collected and stored about your visit:
- the domain name or IP address from which you access the Internet (e.g., aol.com),
- the date and time of your visit,
- the Web pages you accessed during your visit,
- the address of the Web site from which you came, and
- the keywords you enter into our “Quick Database Search” textbox.
We use this information for statistical purposes and to improve our Web site and make our site more useful to visitors.
Cookies
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memo M-10-22, Guidance of Online Use of Web Measurement and Customization Technologies allows Federal agencies to use session and persistent cookies.
When you visit any Web site, its server may generate a piece of text known as a “cookie” to place on your computer. The cookie allows the server to “remember” specific information about your visit while you are connected. The cookie makes it easier for you to use the dynamic features of Web pages. Requests to send cookies from our Web pages are designed to collect information about your browser session only; they do not collect personal information about you.
There are two types of cookies, single session (temporary) and multi-session (persistent). Session cookies last only as long as your Web browser is open. Once you close your browser, the cookie disappears. Persistent cookies are stored on your computer for longer periods.
Temporary “Session” Cookies
We use session cookies for technical purposes such as improving navigation through our site. These cookies let our server know that you are continuing a visit to our site. The “session” cookie is not permanently stored on your computer. The cookie and the information about your visit are automatically destroyed shortly after you close your browser to end the session.
“Persistent Cookies”
We use persistent cookies to help us recognize new and returning visitors to our Web site. Persistent cookies remain on your computer between visits to our Web site until they expire. We do not use this technology to identify you or any other individual site visitor.
We also use persistent cookies to enable our Web site’s Google Urchin Web Analytics program to measure how new and returning visitors use the Biospecimens/Biorepositories Web site over time.
Opting Out or Disabling Cookies
If you do not wish to have session or persistent cookies placed on your computer, you can disable them using your Web browser. If you opt out of cookies, you will still have access to all information and resources our Web site provides.
Instructions for disabling or opting out of cookies in the most popular browsers are located at http://www.usa.gov/optout_instructions.shtml. Please note that by following the instructions to opt out of cookies, you will disable cookies from all sources, not just those from the Biospecimens/Biorepositories Web site.
Disclosure
We do not disclose, give, sell, or transfer any personal information about our visitors, unless required for law enforcement or by statute.
Site Security
This site is supported by the U.S. Government. It is protected by various provisions of Title 18, U.S. Code. Violations of Title 18 are subject to criminal prosecution in federal court.
For site security purposes and to ensure that this service remains available to all users, we use software programs to monitor traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. In the event of authorized law enforcement investigations, and pursuant to any required legal process, information from these sources may be used to help identify an individual.
Questions about NIH privacy policies should be sent to the NIH Office of the Senior Official for Privacy.