Canadian Privacy Compliance
Medical Informatics Laboratory Pharmacy Services adheres to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and provincial health privacy legislation to ensure the confidentiality and security of your personal health information.
Introduction
Medical Informatics Laboratory Pharmacy Services ("we", "us", or "our") operates the website and online pharmacy services. We are committed to protecting your privacy and safeguarding your personal and health information. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your information when you use our services.
As a licensed pharmacy operating in Canada, we follow strict privacy standards in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and provincial health privacy legislation.
Information We Collect
To provide pharmacy services, we collect the following types of information:
Personal Information
- Name, date of birth, and contact information
- Shipping and billing address
- Payment information (processed securely through PCI-compliant systems)
- Health card number (where applicable)
Health Information
- Medical history relevant to your prescriptions
- Prescription details and medication history
- Allergies and health conditions
- Physician contact information
Technical Information
- IP address, browser type, and device information
- Website usage data through cookies and similar technologies
- Interaction data with our website and services
How We Use Your Information
We use your information for the following purposes:
- Providing Pharmacy Services: To process prescriptions, provide medications, and offer pharmaceutical care
- Verification: To verify prescriptions with prescribing physicians
- Billing and Payment: To process payments for services and medications
- Communication: To contact you about your prescriptions, refill reminders, and health information
- Quality Improvement: To enhance our services and patient care
- Legal Compliance: To meet regulatory and legal requirements
- Health and Safety: To monitor for adverse drug reactions and medication safety
Information Sharing and Disclosure
We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:
- Healthcare Providers: With your physician and other healthcare providers involved in your care
- Third-Party Service Providers: With companies that provide services on our behalf (e.g., payment processing, shipping) under strict confidentiality agreements
- Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or regulatory authorities
- Public Health: To report adverse drug reactions as required by Health Canada
- Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets with appropriate privacy safeguards
We do not sell or rent your personal health information to marketers or third parties for commercial purposes.
Data Security
We implement robust security measures to protect your information:
- 256-bit SSL encryption for all data transmissions
- Secure storage of health records in compliance with Canadian standards
- Regular security audits and vulnerability testing
- Access controls and authentication protocols
- Employee training on privacy and confidentiality
- Secure destruction of records when no longer needed
Data Retention
We retain your personal health information as required by law and professional standards:
- Prescription records: Minimum 10 years as per provincial regulations
- Patient profiles: For as long as you remain an active patient plus applicable retention period
- Financial records: 7 years as required by tax legislation
When information is no longer needed, we securely dispose of it using methods that prevent unauthorized access.
Your Privacy Rights
Under Canadian privacy laws, you have the right to:
- Access your personal health information
- Request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete information
- Withdraw consent for certain uses and disclosures (subject to legal exceptions)
- Request information about how your data has been disclosed
- File a complaint with our Privacy Officer or the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Contact Our Privacy Officer
For privacy inquiries or to exercise your rights:
Email: privacy@medi.cs.queensu.ca
Phone: +1-352-669-8693 ext. 789
Mail: Privacy Officer, Medical Informatics Laboratory
798 College Street, Ottawa, ON K7L 3N6
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. The "Last updated" date at the top indicates when revisions were made. We encourage you to review this policy regularly for any changes.
Cross-Border Data Transfers
As a Canadian pharmacy, we primarily store and process data within Canada. In limited circumstances where information may be transferred outside Canada (e.g., cloud services), we ensure equivalent privacy protection through contractual measures and assess the privacy laws of the recipient jurisdiction.
Children's Privacy
Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children without parental consent. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child without verification of parental consent, we take steps to remove that information.