SITC Policies


SITC Meeting Code of Conduct & Photography Policy

Approved by the SITC Executive Committee June 2018, Updated April 2021
The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) is committed to providing a safe, secure, collegial and welcoming environment for all participants and attendees at its in-person and virtual meetings and events, and to provide for equal opportunity and treatment of all participants and attendees, regardless of actual or perceived gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability, socioeconomic status, age or religion. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, staff (including venue staff), exhibitors, contractors, vendors and other service providers, and anyone else present at SITC in-person or virtual meetings or events, are expected to abide by this policy. This policy applies to all SITC meeting-related events, including those sponsored by organizations other than SITC but held in conjunction with SITC events, in public or private facilities or on online platforms.

Photography, Social Media and Recording Policy

Photography, Screenshots and Recording

Program attendees at SITC in-person or virtual programs may use photographs, screenshots and audio/video recordings taken during oral or poster presentations provided that the photographs and recordings are strictly for personal, noncommercial use and are not to be published in any form, EXCEPT when the speakers or poster presenters explicitly state otherwise at the start of their presentations or by indicating so on their slides and posters through one of two mechanisms:

  • A camera icon with a black circle and slash on slides or posters indicate that picture taking, audio recording and video recording are not allowed: No_Photo.jpg
  • The words “DO NOT POST” written on slides or posters indicates that picture taking, audio recording and video recording are not allowed.

Virtual program attendees should not copy, take photographs, screenshots or videos of Q&A or any chat that takes place in the virtual space.

Social Media

SITC encourages live tweeting and other social media during in person and virtual programs. Guidelines for the use of social media include:

  • Promoting the dedicated program hashtag in your tweets
  • Using tweets as a forum for discussion and engagement (use of “@” nametags)
  • Do not live-tweet presentations or posters until the presentation or poster session has officially opened.
  • Be respectful and do not share information of presenting authors who:
    • Opt-out of social media, or who use a “no social media” icon in their material: No_Social_Meida.jpg
    • Indicate that content should not be shared publicly using a camera icon with a black circle and slash on slides or posters: No_Photo.jpg
    • Include the words “DO NOT POST” on slides or posters
  • Do not use digital photographs of slides in social media and avoid posting raw data unless it is already in the public domain.
  • Be mindful that live-tweeting provides an open-air forum for the presenters, the conference attendees and the public – good manners and respect should prevail.

Responsible Drinking: In-Person Programs

Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages may be served at SITC networking and other events. SITC expects participants at its events to consume alcoholic beverages responsibly and comply with such rules, requirements and restrictions as SITC may establish in connection therewith. This may include rules, requirements and restrictions pertaining to the imposition of conditions (such as the requirement of providing identification) to obtain an alcoholic beverage, allowing SITC and other event staff to limit or deny service to any participant for any reason, and/or to require a participant to leave an event on account of failure to comply with applicable rules, requirements and restrictions.

Anti-Harassment and Other Misconduct

SITC in-person and virtual meetings and events are convened for purposes of professional development, to promote scholarly and educational interchange in the spirit of free inquiry and expression and to carry out SITC’s stated purposes and mission. Harassment of colleagues and other meeting or event participants undermines the principle of equity at the heart of SITC’s meetings and events and is inconsistent with the principles of free inquiry and free expression. Consequently, SITC considers such harassment to be a form of misconduct subject to appropriate remedial action as described herein.  

Expected Behavior

All participants and attendees at SITC meetings and events are expected to abide by this anti-harassment policy in all meeting settings, virtual or in-person, as well as at any ancillary events and official and unofficial social gatherings.

  • Participants and attendees must abide by the norms of professional respect that are necessary to promote the conditions of free expressions and interchange.

  • Participants and attendees who witness potential harm to a meeting or event participant or attendee, are expected be proactive in helping mitigate or avoid that harm, to the extent practicable.

Unacceptable Behavior

    • Persistent and unwelcome solicitation of emotional or physical intimacy, whether or not accompanied by real or implied threat of professional, financial or physical harm
    • Harassing photography or recording
    • Harassment, intimidation, stalking, following, or discrimination in any form
    • Excessive swearing and offensive jokes
    • Verbal or online abuse of participants and attendees
    • Disruption of presentations at sessions, in exhibition areas, or at other events organized by SITC, including in the form of disruptive or abusive use of virtual chat or engagement features. All in person and virtual participants must comply with the instructions of the moderator and any SITC event staff.
    • Retaliation for reporting harassment
    • Reporting harassment in bad faith
    • Examples of unacceptable behavior include, but are not limited to, verbal or online comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin, inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations, or threatening any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, SITC staff member, service provider, or other person present at a SITC meeting or event whether in-person or virtual.
    • Participants should not copy, take photographs, screenshots or videos of Q&A or any chat room activity that takes place in the virtual space.
    • Presentations, positing, and messages should not contain promotional materials, special offers, job offers, product announcements, or solicitation for services. SITC reserves the right to remove such messages and potentially ban sources of those solicitations

    SITC reminds meeting and event participants and attendees that SITC has zero-tolerance for any form of harassment or discrimination at SITC in-person and virtual meetings and events. The Executive Directors (see contact information below) or any other SITC staff are available for consultation with any meeting or event participant or attendee who believes they have experienced any form of harassment while at any SITC meeting or event.

    SITC reserves the right to take any action it deems necessary or appropriate, including immediate removal from or revocation of access to the meeting or event without warning or refund as well as imposition of further sanctions, in order to respond to any violation of this policy. Further, SITC reserves the right to prohibit anyone who violates this policy from attending any SITC future meeting or event.

    Reporting Harassment or Unacceptable Behavior

    Any participant or attendee who is subjected to or witnesses an incident of harassment or abusive behavior may be asked to file a written report. Reports should include identification of the offender (or description); behaviors or actions by that person; circumstances around the incident; day, time and session; and others present. All written reports will be kept confidential.

    Threatening behaviors, harassment, intimidation or other unacceptable behaviors not reported during the meeting or event may be reported to SITC staff after the conference by contacting Mary Dean (see contact information below). All complaints will be treated seriously and responded to promptly.

    Grievances

    A participant or attendee who believes he or she was falsely or unfairly accused of violating this policy should notify the Executive Director (see contact information below).

    SITC Executive Director Contact Information:

    Mary Dean, JD, CAE
    Executive Director, SITC
    555 East Wells Street, Suite 1100
    Milwaukee WI 53202
    Phone: 414-918-3036
    E-mail: mdean@sitcancer.org

    Personal Safety and Security: In-Person Programs

    In addition to the foregoing, SITC works diligently to provide a safe and secure environment for all participants and attendees at its meetings and events. In this regard, SITC recommends the following precautions in connection with attendance at meetings and events:

    • Be aware of your surroundings at all times
    • Use the buddy system when walking to and from the event venue and networking event locations during early or late hours
    • Do not wear your meeting badge on the street. Take it off as soon as you leave the building/venue
    • Do not carry a lot of cash or credit cards. Leave in your hotel room safe
    • Do not leave personal property unattended anywhere, anytime

    If there is an emergency or if you need immediate assistance, you are encouraged to ask any SITC staff member, venue staff, on-site security personnel and/or the local police to help you.


    SITC Financial Conflicts of Interest (FCOI) Policy



    Preamble
    The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) is the world’s leading member-driven organization specifically dedicated to improving cancer patient outcomes by advancing the science and application of cancer immunotherapy. SITC is not-for-profit medical professional society of influential research scientists, physician scientists, clinicians, patients, patient advocates, government representatives and industry leaders dedicated to improving cancer patient outcomes by advancing the science and application of cancer immunotherapy. It is the mission of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer to improve cancer patient outcomes by advancing the science, development and application of cancer immunology and immunotherapy through our core values of interaction/integration, innovation, translation and leadership in the field.

    Policies/Processes
    The affairs of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) shall be conducted with concern for the avoidance of any real or apparent conflict of interest on the part of its investigators (PI, faculty, planners, and/or managers).  Representatives of SITC should make known to the appropriate person (usually the president and or executive director) a conflict of interest that they might have on any matter under consideration by a group in which they participate. Those who have a conflict of interest on a matter, which comes to vote, shall not vote on any motion which involves the matter.

    An actual conflict of interest arises when a person is in a position that requires the exercise of judgment on behalf of SITC and the person also has financial, professional or personal interests (either the person’s own or an interest that is attributed to the person by virtue of interests held by a spouse, partner, minor children or someone with whom income is directly shared) of the sort that is likely to, or does directly, interfere with the exercise of the individual’s judgment on behalf of SITC.

    The appearance of a conflict of interest is present if there is a potential for the financial, professional or personal interests of a person (either the person’s own or an interest that is attributed to the person by virtue of interests held by a spouse, partner, minor children or someone with whom income is directly shared) to be at odds with the person’s obligation to SITC and the circumstances are such that a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts would question the person's ability to act in SITC’s best interests and not be compromised by that person’s financial, professional or personal interests.

    SITC representatives with a conflict may be leading experts on the subject matter under consideration, and SITC should have the benefit of their expertise. Therefore, members with a conflict of interest may be permitted to participate in consideration of a matter, but only after their conflict on that matter has been made known. It is not necessary that all details of the conflict be divulged to the rest of the group. However, it is necessary that all the discussants know enough so that they can receive the comments from the members with a conflict in their proper context. If it is determined that due to the conflict it is inappropriate for the member(s) to contribute to the conversation, the president or presiding officer, or committee chair persons will make that determination

    Per NIH requirements, SITC complies with all requirements of 42 CFR 50, Subpart F, "Responsibility of Applicants for Promoting Objectivity in Research for which PHS Funding is Sought" (FCOI Regulation), as implemented in the 2011 Final Rule for grants and cooperative agreements.

    SITC provides this Financial Conflicts of Interest (FCOI) policy to all investigators who affect the content of an educational activity and are required to disclose their own financial relationships; as well as relationships to products or devices their spouse/life partner have with commercial interests related to the content of the  activity of any amount over the past 12 months.

    SITC requires disclosure form completion from investigators, as a way to comply with NIH requirements and ensure they are informed of our policy, their disclosure responsibilities, and the federal regulation. Disclosure form completion is required: (1) No later than at the time of application for PHS-funded research; (2) At least annually during the period of the award; and (3) Within 30 days of discovering or acquiring a new significant financial interest (SFI).

    The SITC President and/or Executive Director shall review disclosure forms, determine if relevant SFIs and FCOIs exist, and implement and monitor management plans for actual SFIs and FCOIs; these steps shall be guided by the SITC Board of Directors’ conflict disclosure guidelines.

    The Executive Director, along with the FCOI Assistant, shall send any required FCOI reports to NIH, according to the regulation. This includes but is not limited to annual reports, mitigation reports, and any findings of bias. Further, when requested, the Executive Director will promptly make information available to the NIH/HHS relating to any investigator disclosure of financial interests and SITC’s review of, and response to, such disclosure, whether or not the disclosure resulted in SITC’s determination of an FCOI.

    SITC National Office shall maintain all FCOI-related records that meet or exceed the regulatory requirements: For at least three (3) years from the date the final expenditures report is submitted to the PHS (NIH); and From other dates specified in 45 CFR 75.361, where applicable.

    Those in non-compliance with this policy and disclosure requirements may result in removal of an investigator from the relevant grant or project. After a determination of non-compliance, the SITC Executive Committee shall complete and document a retrospective review within 120 days. SITC does not apply for or receive grants for clinical research; as such, additional DHHS non-compliance reporting requirements do not apply.

    SITC shall meet all subrecipient FCOI requirements, as applicable.

    This policy is publicly posted on the SITC website. SITC will also publicly post any information concerning
    identified FCOIs, in accordance with the regulation.

     

    Additional Conflicts for Consideration

    In addition to the above mentioned disclosure, the IRS requires disclosure if any of the organization’s officers, directors, trustees, or key employees, had a family relationship or business relationship with another of the organization’s officers, directors, trustees, or key employees, at any time during the organization’s tax year. For each family and business relationship, identify the persons and describe their relationship. It is sufficient to enter “family relationship” or “business relationship” without greater detail.

    Definitions
    Investigators are those:
    · defined as the PD/PI and any other person, regardless of title or position;
    · who are responsible for the design, conduct, or reporting of research funded by PHS, or proposed for such
    funding;
    · and may include, for example, collaborators or consultants.

    Definition of Financial Relationship
    Financial relationships are those relationships in which the individual benefits by receiving a salary, royalty, intellectual property rights, consulting fee, honoraria for promotional speakers’ bureau, ownership interest (e.g., stocks, stock options or other ownership interest, excluding diversified mutual funds), or other financial benefit. Financial benefits are usually associated with roles such as employment, management position, independent contractor (including contracted research), consulting, speaking and teaching, membership on advisory committees or review panels, board membership, and other activities from which remuneration is received, or expected. ACCME considers relationships of the person involved in the CME activity to include financial relationships of a spouse or partner. Contracted research includes research funding where the institution gets the grant, manages the funds and the person is the principal or named investigator on the grant. There is no minimum dollar amount for relationships.

    Definition of Commercial Interest
    A commercial interest is any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients. Providers of clinical service directly to patients are not commercial interests (unless the provider of clinical service is owned, or controlled by, a commercial interest).

    Other Possible Financial Conflicts
    o Paid consultancy or expert testimony within the past two years
    o Research funding (identify subject matter and funding organization, if permissible)
    o Honoraria, stipends, or gifts exceeding $100 in value per engagement directly received from an entity
    o Royalties

     

    Additionally, the 2011 revised regulation defines a “significant financial interest” as follows:
    (1) A financial interest consisting of one or more of the following interests of the Investigator (and those of the
    Investigator’s spouse and dependent children) that reasonably appears to be related to the Investigator’s
    institutional responsibilities

    (i) With regard to any publicly traded entity, a significant financial interest exists if the value of any
    remuneration received from the entity in the twelve months preceding the disclosure and the
    value of any equity interest in the entity as of the date of disclosure, when aggregated, exceeds
    $5,000. For purposes of this definition, remuneration includes salary and any payment for
    services not otherwise identified as salary (e.g., consulting fees, honoraria, paid authorship);
    equity interest includes any stock, stock option, or other ownership interest, as determined
    through reference to public prices or other reasonable measures of fair market value;

    (ii) With regard to any non-publicly traded entity, a significant financial interest exists if the value of any
    remuneration received from the entity in the twelve months preceding the disclosure, when
    aggregated, exceeds $5,000, or when the Investigator (or the Investigator’s spouse or dependent
    children) holds any equity interest (e.g., stock, stock option, or other ownership interest); or

    (iii) Intellectual property rights and interests (e.g., patents, copyrights), upon receipt of income related to such rights and interests.

    (2) Investigators also must disclose the occurrence of any reimbursed or sponsored travel (i.e., that which is paid on behalf of that individual and not reimbursed to the them so that the exact monetary value may not be readily available), related to their institutional responsibilities; provided, however, that this disclosure requirement does not apply to travel that is reimbursed or sponsored by a federal, state, or local government agency, an Institution of higher education as defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001(a), an academic teaching hospital, a medical center, or a research institute that is affiliated with an Institution of higher education. The Institution’s FCOI policy will specify the details of this disclosure, which will include, at a minimum, the purpose of the trip, the identity of the sponsor/organizer, the destination, and the duration. In accordance with the Institution’s FCOI policy, the institutional official(s) will determine if further information is needed, including a determination or disclosure of monetary value, in order to determine whether the travel constitutes an FCOI with the PHS-funded research.

    (3) The term significant financial interest does not include the following types of financial interests: salary, royalties, or other remuneration paid by the Institution to the investigator if they are currently employed or otherwise appointed by the Institution, including intellectual property rights assigned to the Institution and agreements to share in royalties related to such rights; any ownership interest in the Institution held by the Investigator, if the Institution is a commercial or for-profit organization; income from investment vehicles, such as mutual funds and retirement accounts, as long as the Investigator does not directly control the investment decisions made in these vehicles; income from seminars, lectures, or teaching engagements sponsored by a federal, state, or local government agency, an Institution of higher education as defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001(a), an academic teaching hospital, a medical center, or a research institute that is affiliated with an Institution of higher education; or income from service on advisory committees or review panels for a federal, state, or local government agency, an Institution of higher education as defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001(a), an academic teaching hospital, a medical center, or a research institute that is affiliated with an Institution of higher education.

    SITC defines “business relationships” between two persons to include any of the following:

    • One person is employed by the other in a sole proprietorship or by an organization with which the other is associated as a trustee, director, officer, key employee, or greater-than-35% owner.

    • One person is transacting business with the other (other than in the ordinary course of either party’s business on the same terms as are generally offered to the public), directly or indirectly, in one or more contracts of sale, lease, license, loan, performance of services, or other transaction involving transfers of cash or property valued in excess of $10,000 in the aggregate during the organization’s tax year. Indirect transactions are transactions with an organization with which the one person is associated as a trustee, director, officer, key employee, or greater-than-35% owner. Such transactions do not include charitable contributions to tax-exempt organizations.

    • The two persons are each a director, trustee, officer, or greater than 10% owner in the same business or investment entity (but not in the same tax-exempt organization).

     

    Ownership is measured by stock ownership (either voting power or value) of a corporation, profits or capital interest in a partnership or limited liability company, membership interest in a nonprofit organization, or beneficial interest in a trust. Ownership includes indirect ownership (for example, ownership in an entity that has ownership in the entity in question); there may be ownership through multiple tiers of entities.

    Privileged relationship exception: A “business relationship” does not include a relationship between an attorney and client, a medical professional (including psychologist) and patient, or a priest/clergy and penitent/communicant.


    END OF POLICY


    SITC Privacy Policy

    Community Rules, Etiquette and Privacy Guidelines

    Last updated: Aug. 3, 2018

    Thank you for being part of our community. To ensure the best possible experience for all members, we have established some basic guidelines for participation.

    By joining and using this community, you agree that you have read and will follow these rules and guidelines. You also agree to reserve discussions and shared files and content to that are best suited to the medium. This is a great medium with which to solicit the advice of your peers, benefit from their experience, and participate in an ongoing conversation. Questions should be directed to our Membership Department via the Contact Staff link on this site. Technical questions on association management issues should directed to our help desk via email at info@sitcancer.org.

    Please take a moment to acquaint yourself with these important guidelines. If you have questions, contact the help desk. In order to preserve a climate that encourages both civil and fruitful dialogue, we reserve the right to suspend or terminate membership in this community for anyone who violate these rules.

    The Rules

    • Do not challenge or attack others. The discussions and comments are meant to stimulate conversation not to create contention. Let others have their say, just as you may. 
    • Do not post commercial messages on any discussion list, resource library entry, or other area where others might see it. Contact people directly with product and service information if you believe it would help them.
    • Use caution when discussing products. Information posted on the lists and in the libraries is available for all to see, and comments are subject to libel, slander, and antitrust laws. 
    • All defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, offensive, or illegal materials are strictly prohibited. Do not post anything that you would not want the world to see or that you would not want anyone to know came from you. 
    • Please note carefully all items listed in the disclaimer and legal rules below, particularly regarding the copyright ownership of information posted. 
    • Remember that other participants have the right to reproduce postings to this site unless you specify otherwise. 
    • Post your message or documents only to the most appropriate lists or libraries. Do not spam several lists or libraries with the same message.
      All messages must add to the body of knowledge. We reserve the right to reject any message for any reason.

    Discussion Group Etiquette

    • Include a signature tag on all messages. Include your name, affiliation, location. 
    • State concisely and clearly the topic of your comments in the subject line. This allows members to respond more appropriately to your posting and makes it easier for members to search the archives by subject. 
    • Include only the relevant portions of the original message in your reply. Delete any header information, and put your response before the original posting. 
    • Only send a message to the entire list when it contains information that everyone can benefit from. 
    • Send messages such as "thanks for the information" or "me, too" to individuals--not to the entire list. Do this by using the "Reply to Sender" link to the left of every message.
    • Do not send administrative messages, such as remove me from the list. Instead, use the web interface to change your settings or to remove yourself from a list. If you are changing e-mail addresses, you do not need to remove yourself from the list and rejoin under your new e-mail address. Simply change your settings. 
    • Warn other list subscribers of lengthy messages either in the subject line or at the beginning of the message body with a line that says "Long Message." 
    • Do not publicize employment opportunities/job postings on a SITC CONNECT community. If you are looking to advertise an open position, please visit the SITC Job Board or contact SITC at info@sitcancer.org for more information regarding how to do this.
       

    The Legal Stuff

    This site is provided as a service for the members of Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer.  Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer is not responsible for the opinions and information posted on this site by others. We disclaim all warranties with regard to information posted on this site, whether posted by Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer or any third party; this disclaimer includes all implied warranties of merchantability and fitness. In no event shall Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer be liable for any special, indirect, or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data, or profits, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of any information posted on this site.

    Do not post any defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, offensive, or illegal materials. Do not post any information or other material protected by copyright without the permission of the copyright owner. By posting material, the posting party warrants and represents that he or she owns the copyright with respect to such material or has received permission from the copyright owner. In addition, the posting party grants Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer and users of this site the nonexclusive right and license to display, copy, publish, distribute, transmit, print, and use such information or other material.

    Messages should not be posted if they encourage or facilitate members to arrive at any agreement that either expressly or impliedly leads to price fixing, a boycott of another's business, or other conduct intended to illegally restrict free trade. Messages that encourage or facilitate an agreement about the following subjects are inappropriate: prices, discounts, or terms or conditions of sale; salaries; profits, profit margins, or cost data; market shares, sales territories, or markets; allocation of customers or territories; or selection, rejection, or termination of customers or suppliers.

    Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer does not actively monitor the site for inappropriate postings and does not on its own undertake editorial control of postings. However, in the event that any inappropriate posting is brought to the attention of Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer we will take all appropriate action.

    Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer reserves the right to terminate access to any user who does not abide by these guidelines.

    Privacy Policy & Website Terms of Use

    PRIVACY AND DATA PROTECTION NOTICE,
    RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER APPLICABLE PRIVACY LAWS,
    AND WEB SITE TERMS OF USE

    OVERVIEW

    The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) has a strong commitment to privacy, recognizing that we are a public association. The statements below outline the policies and procedures concerning information gathering and dissemination practices for our organization.

    We acknowledge that you may have privacy and security concerns with respect to the information we collect, use, and disclose to third parties for the purpose of allowing us to offer and provide the Web Site and our products and/or services, so we provide this Privacy and Data Protection Notice to explain, in as clear and plain language as possible, how we collect, use and disclose such information.

    As more fully described in our Rights and Responsibilities notice, we recognize principles and requirements of applicable law (including, without limitation, the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) adopted by the European Union, the California Consumer Privacy Act (the “CCPA” and certain other applicable privacy laws) pertaining to privacy of information (collectively, “Privacy Directives”). You will also find an explanation of certain rights you have with respect to your Personal Information. Please refer to the Rights and Responsibilities Notice if you are a resident of the European Union or the state of California.

    Please read our Notices carefully before accessing or using the Web Site or our Products and/or Services, so you can fully understand our practices in relation to the collection, use and disclosure of information hereunder, before we begin processing any information you provide to us. By accessing or using the Web Site and/or otherwise registering for and/or using our Products and/or Services, you are agreeing to be bound to the terms hereof and all applicable laws and regulations, and you agree that you are responsible for compliance with same. If you do not agree to the terms hereof, please do not access or use the Web site or our products or services (and you are prohibited from doing so).

    Our Website Terms of Use sets forth legal terms governing your use of our Web Site and any and all online products and/or services offered or provided by us, including registering for our conferences and meetings (collectively referred to as the “Web Site”).

    We may modify these Notices from time to time (see “Changes to This Notice” below), so please check periodically for updates. If any questions arise about the meaning or interpretation of these Notices, or if these Notices are translated into another language, the English-language version of these Notices is the official text.

    PRIVACY AND DATA PROTECTION NOTICE

    What is “Personal Information” 
    This Notice undertakes to protect the personal data or personal information of individuals wherever located and covers many processing activities, including collection, storage, consultation, transfer, and destruction, of this data. “Personal information” means any and all information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. You can be identified from information such as your name; email address; age; gender; home, work and/or mobile phone numbers; home and or work postal addresses; professional designations and titles and other demographics pertaining to your trade or profession; passport number; and payment information (including credit/debit card information). You may also be identifiable from information such as an online identifier, IP address, unique device ID or cookie.

    Information Collected by Us
    This Notice applies to information we collect:
    • On the Web Site;
    • In email, texts and other electronic messages between you and the Web Site;
    • When you sign up for events that we host;
    • When you use or access any Products and/or Services we provide, through the Web Site or otherwise;
    • When you interact with us in another way - for example, contacting us with an inquiry
    through our “Contact Us” form on the Web Site or otherwise.

    In such circumstances, you may provide information online, over the telephone, in writing or otherwise in connection with such activities. During these processes, you may share with us Personal Information about yourself. Personal Information may also be collected, or your IP address logged, when you visit the Web Site even if you do not take express action to give us information. Additionally, information regarding your computer, your connection to the Web Site (such as your browser type, operating system and platform) and your user history (including, but not limited to, your session information, page errors and the length of your visits to specific pages within the Web Site) may also be collected.

    How We Use Personal Information
    If you elect to provide Personal Information (such as your name, employer name and title, mailing address and/or phone number), we will collect, use and share it pursuant to this Notice and applicable law. For instance, we may use Personal Information you provide for purposes such as:
    • Carrying out a registration made by you;
    • Fulfilling your requests for services (including purchases);
    • Processing payment information when you register for a meeting or otherwise purchase services from us;
    • Customizing and improving the Web Site (including its look and feel), the Content and otherwise our products and/or services thereon;
    • Customizing and/or improving your experience on the Web Site;
    • Contacting you;
    • Conducting research or analysis;
    • Emailing advance notice of and/or invitation to events;
    • Sending email to confirm your registration;
    • Looking up and printing your physical badge for a conference, meeting or other event
    • Generating certificates of attendance, credentials, etc. as may be applicable for your event;
    • Tracking attendance at conferences, meetings, events or sessions;
    • Recording and maintaining continuing education information for purposes of awarding and verifying continuing education attendance, participation, qualifications and credits;
    • Providing support services; and
    • Responding to and resolving complaints.

    We collect information in different ways from those who access the Web Site. We primarily use this information to provide a customized experience as you use our Web Site and/or to provide to you our Products and/or Services. We do not share this information with third parties, though we may disclose such information if we have received your permission beforehand or in special circumstances, such as when we believe that such disclosure is required by law, or in other particular cases described below.

    How We May Share Your Information
    It is our policy not to disclose, sell or rent any of your Personal Information to any individual, business, government entity or other outside party. However, we may disclose or share your Personal Information (and you are considered to consent to same) if we have received your permission beforehand, or in certain circumstances, such as:

    • to provide Products and/or Services you have requested from us and otherwise to engage in activities inherent to your membership or other relationship with us;
    • in response to a validly-issued subpoena, court order or other legal process;
    • when necessary to establish or exercise our legal rights or defend against legal action;
    • where you request us to do so;
    • share with conference, meeting and event organizers;
    • share with third parties involved in the conference, meeting or event process (e.g., hotel booking companies);
    • potentially share with exhibitors at the event (e.g., through badge scanning onsite);
    • allow event exhibitors to send you email/direct mail to the extent you so authorize;
    • allow other attendees to contact you if you sign up for communications;
    • to satisfy laws, such as the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, regulations, or governmental or legal requests;
    • to identify, contact, or bring legal action against someone who may be violating the terms of this Notice or other policies;
    • and
    • to protect us and our other users.

    We may also use return e-mail addresses to answer e-mail we receive from you. Such addresses are not used for any other purpose.

    Once your Personal Information has been shared with a third party, we no longer have direct control over that information, but we require our contractors and others who help us provide the Web Site and services to agree to follow applicable Privacy Directives.

    Your personal information will not be collected for use that is in violation of applicable law or unrelated to that discussed in this Notice.

    Your Rights
    We recognize that all Personal Information you submit to us belongs to you, and that we use your data only with your permission. You have the following specific rights (which are more fully described in our Rights and Responsibilities notice).
    • Informed: We will tell you exactly how we use your Personal Information in clear, plain language.
    • Consent: We will not store or use your Personal Information without your consent. If we get your Personal Information from a membership organization or another source, we will ensure through a contract that they are also compliant with GDPR consent regulations.
    • Access and Portability: You may view such or your Personal Information as is accessible on our Web Site and request a copy of all Personal Information we may store that is not accessible on our Web Site.
    • Modification: You may request corrections, changes or updates to any personal data we store.
    • Erasure: You may request that we purge all or your Personal Information at any time.

    If you have any complaints on our processing of your Personal Information or if you believe that we have breached our own privacy policies or applicable law, we encourage you to contact us. However, please note that applicable Privacy Directives may provide you with a right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority as well; however, we ask that you please attempt to resolve any issues with us first.

    Contact Us Form
    Our Web Site has a “Contact Us” form for users to request information from us. We collect contact information, which is generally limited to the user’s name, email address, phone number and provide an opportunity for users to provide additional information of their choosing. Collected information is used to contact the user regarding the matter addressed in the “Contact Us” form.

    Cookies
    A "cookie" is a small data file that can be placed on your hard drive when you visit certain websites. We use cookies to remember certain user information. Cookies are electronic identifiers that are transferred automatically to your computer through your browser that allow our computers to save certain information you provide us and store information about you so we can recognize you when you visit the Web Site in the future. This allows you to avoid logging in more than once, which saves time, and create a customized web site that fits your needs. You may, at any time, disable or refuse to accept cookies by changing the preferences or settings on your web browser. If you choose to disable cookies, you will still be able to use the Web Site. However, you will not be able to fully take advantage of certain automation and other functionality features available.

    We may use cookies to collect, store, and sometimes track information for statistical purposes, to improve the products and services we provide, or to save your settings and to provide customizable and personalized services. These cookies do not enable third parties to access any of your personal information. Most browsers accept cookies automatically but can be configured not to do so or to notify the user when a cookie is being sent. If you wish to disable cookies, refer to your browser help menu to learn how to disable cookies. If you disable cookies, it may interfere with the proper functioning of the website.

    Additionally, be aware that if you visit other, unrelated websites where you are prompted to log in or that are customizable, you may be required to accept cookies. Third parties and other unrelated websites may also use their own cookies. We do not control use of these cookies and expressly disclaim responsibility for information collected through them.

    Finally, we may occasionally enable and implement various analytic tools, such as Google Analytics, which is an analytics tool provided by Google to collect and process collected information and data consisting of certain telematics about your use of our Web Site. Google sets and reads cookies to collect such Collected Data and your web browser will automatically send such collected information and data to Google. Google stores and uses this data to provide us with reports that we use to improve the Website’s structure and content. For more information on Google Analytics, please see www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/.

    Automated Information
    When you visit our Web Site, we automatically collect information from your browser or your mobile device, such as Internet Protocol (IP) address or unique device identifier, cookies, and data about which pages you visit in order to allow us to operate and provide the Web Site and our services. This information is used to protect the Web Site and our services and to keep the Web Site secure, analyze and improve our Web Site and services and understand how the Web Site works and for the other purposes described in “How We Use Personal Information,” above.

    We may use automated decision making in processing your Personal Information for some services and products. You may request a manual review of the accuracy of an automated decision if you are unhappy with it. You have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing.

    Email Interconnectivity
    If you receive email communications from us, we may use certain tools to capture data related to when you open our messages and click on hyperlinks or banners it may contain. We use this information internally to enhance and support our marketing and sales operations.

    Surveys, Questionnaires, Social Media
    When you provide us with your Personal Information through our “Contact Us” Form on the Web Site, or through social media or other online survey or questionnaire tools and platforms, or sign up for one of our mailing lists, newsletters, or marketing lists, we or third parties operating those tools, platforms or social media sites, may collect your social media handle or profile, and/or any other identifier that you use to be contacted online or offline. This information may also include personally identifiable and business information and whatever information or comments you may post on such platforms, but only to the extent that you voluntarily provide it to us. Anything you post on a social media platform or site is public information and will not be treated confidentially. Your use of social media platforms is governed by the privacy policies and terms of the third parties that own and operate those platforms and not by this Policy. We encourage you to review the terms contained in this Notice.

    How We Protect Personal Information/Data Security
    This Notice, along with our Rights and Responsibilities notice, reflects a comprehensive approach to privacy and data security that complies with applicable Privacy Directives and generally accepted best business practices. We use commercially reasonable technical and organizational measures to help secure your Personal Information and prevent it from being lost, used or accessed in an unauthorized manner, altered or disclosed during collection, storage, and processing. The specific privacy and data security measures we use incorporate the following guidelines, as applicable:

    • No sensitive Personal Information such as credit card numbers, bank account numbers, passport, and social security numbers, is stored on our servers other than as required to perform a function for which the user provided such information, and in such cases where such information is provided, such information exists in our servers only for such transitory or other short period as is needed to perform such function, at which time is then purged from our servers;
    • We follow generally accepted best practices for secure software development;
    • All data is stored on physically secure hardware;
    • Personal data is secured behind network firewalls and access requires login credentials;
    • All data processed through web sites is encrypted in transit;
    • In the unlikely event of a data breach, we have policies in place to promptly notify affected parties; and
    • Data security is regularly audited by third parties.

    While our security measures seek to protect your Personal Information in our possession, no security system is perfect and we cannot guarantee that your Personal Information will remain absolutely secure in all circumstances or that any privacy settings or security measures contained on our Web Site cannot be circumvented.

    The majority of communications on the Web Site, including any submissions through available forms, are sent through the standard HTTP protocol and may be delivered using regular e-mail. Information sent over HTTP is not encrypted. E-mail, while convenient, does pose some risks (e.g., e-mail is not a secure form of communication, is unreliable, can be forwarded, etc.).

    If a security breach causes an unauthorized intrusion into the Web Site or systems that compromises your data, we will notify you and any applicable regulator only if required under applicable law.

    Access to and Updating Your Personal Information


    If you wish to access, view, modify, update or erase your Personal Information as it exists in our records, please send an email to info@sitcancer.org.

    We are not responsible for any losses arising from any inaccurate, inauthentic, deficient or incomplete personal data that you provide to us. For further information, see our “Terms of Use”


    Accessing the Web Site From Outside the United States

    The Web Site is operated and maintained by us from the United States. If you access the Web Site from outside the United States, please be aware that any personal information from you will be transferred to, stored in, and processed in the United States.

    Third Party Web Sites

    To the extent that the Web Site contains links to other, third-party web sites, we encourage you to take reasonable precautions when sharing your Personal Information on third party web sites. Please be aware that we have no control over the content and practices of such other sites and cannot accept responsibility for their respective privacy or use policies.

    Protecting Children

    The Web Site is not intended for children under 16 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under 16. If you are under 16, do not use or provide any information on the Web Site or provide any information about yourself to us, including your name, telephone number, email address or any screen name or user name you may use. If we learn we have collected or received personally identifiable information from a child under 16 without verification of parental consent, we will delete that information. If you believe we might have any information from or about a child under 16, please contact us at info@sitcancer.org or at the toll free telephone number set forth at the end of the this Privacy notice.

    Links to Other Sites

    The Web Site may contain links to other websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of other websites. We encourage you to read the privacy statements and terms and conditions of each website that collects your personal information.

    Changes to This Notice

    We reserve the right to revise, amend, or modify this Notice, the Web Site, our privacy and data security policies and our other policies and agreements at any time and in any manner. Notice of any revision, amendment, or modification will be posted in accordance with terms hereof. By continuing to use the Web Site, you agree to any changes in this Notice.

    Opt-Out Rights

    You may opt out of receiving future communications from us and/or having your contact information displayed in our membership directory at any time by emailing an opt out request to info@sitcancer.org or calling us at the toll free number set forth at the end of this Notice. You may also be able to opt out of processes listed under “How We May Share Your Information” above. You may also request that we delete any personal information that we have collected from you, subject to exceptions as permitted by law. For further information regarding these and other rights you may have, please see our Rights and Responsibilities notice.


    Rights and Responsibilities Under Applicable Privacy Laws

    We recognize principles and requirements under applicable state, federal and foreign laws (including, without limitation, the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) adopted by the European Union, the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”), and the California Privacy Rights Act (“CPRA”) pertaining to privacy of information (collectively, “Privacy Directives”). Certain of the provisions set out below are addressed in previous sections of this Notice, but are nonetheless set forth below to the extent that they have particular application with respect to the requirements of applicable Privacy Directives.

    We will undertake to comply with Privacy Directives with a view to ensuring that all information is:

    • fairly and lawfully processed (for purposes of this Section, “processing” means any operation which is performed on personal information, such as collection, recording, organization, structuring, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, alignment or combination, restriction, erasure or destruction);
    • obtained and used solely for specific and clearly stated purposes;
    • adequate, relevant, and not excessive;
    • accurate and up-to-date;
    • not kept for longer than necessary;
    • processed in accordance with your rights;
    • secure; and
    • not transferred to other parties without adequate protection.

        Your Rights

        1. Right to Request Information:
          1. You have the right to request the categories and specific pieces of Personal Information we have collected.
          2. We collect the following:
        1. The categories of Personal Information collected are described in our Privacy Notice.
        2. The purpose of such collection is primarily to provide a customized experience as you use our Web Site, as discussed in more detail in our Privacy and Data Protection Notice, and for the other purposes described elsewhere in this Notice.
        • We do not sell or share any information we collect, except as described in our Privacy Notice (“How We May Share Your Personal Information”).
        1. We do not collect sensitive Personal Information within the meaning of the CPRA.
        2. We intend to retain each category of Personal Information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which the information was collected, but in no event longer than as is reasonably necessary in order to perform the function for which such information was provided to us and/or subject to applicable record retention procedures.
        1. Right to Not be Subjected to a Decision Based Solely on Automated Decision-Making: We may use automated decision making in processing your Personal Information for some services and products. You may request a manual review of the accuracy of an automated decision if you are unhappy with it. You have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing.
        2. Right to Request Deletion of Personal Information: You have the right to request that we delete any Personal Information that we have collected from you, subject to exceptions as permitted by law. Although we generally do not disclose any Personal Information to third parties except as expressly described in this Notice, in the event that we do so in accordance with this Notice and such request is made as to information we have disclosed, we will notify such third party of your deletion request.
        3. Right to Correct:
          1. You have the right to request that we correct inaccurate Personal Information. If the Personal Information you have provided to us changes, please let us know. For instance, if your email address changes, you wish to cancel any request you have made of us, or if you become aware of inaccurate Personal Information about you, please contact us using the contact information at the end of this Notice.
          2. We are not responsible for any losses arising from any inaccurate, inauthentic, deficient or incomplete Personal Information or data that you provide to us. For further information, see our Web Site Terms of Use.
        4. Right to Know and Access What Personal Information is Being Collected:
          1. The categories of Personal Information collected are described in our Privacy Notice.
          2. The categories of sources from which Personal Information are collected include the Web Site, email, and other electronic messages between you and the Web Site. We also collect Personal Information when you interact with us in another way, such as by contacting us in writing or orally with an inquiry.
          3. The purposes for collecting your Personal Information are described in our Privacy Notice.
          4. The categories of third parties to whom we may disclose Personal Information pursuant to this Notice (and subject to the restrictions set forth herein) include third-party vendors, service providers, suppliers, consultants and agents (including Website management and hosting, marketing, and email services), and, to the extent of any such disclosure required under applicable law, governmental, administrative and judicial bodies and instrumentalities.
          5. If we collect your Personal Information, you have the right to request the following:
        1. The categories of Personal Information we have collected about you.
        2. The categories of sources from which the Personal Information is collected.
        • The purpose for collecting the Personal Information.
        1. The categories of third parties to whom it is disclosed.
        2. The specific pieces of Personal Information we have collected about you.
        1. Right to Access What Information Has Been Collected If We Sell or Share:
          1. We have not sold or shared, within the meaning of the CPRA, consumers’ Personal Information.
          2. We have disclosed Personal Information for a business purpose to the categories of persons described in Section 5(d) above. The categories of Personal Information we have disclosed are described in our Privacy Notice
        2. Right to Not be Discriminated Against: We will not discriminate against you if you exercise any of the rights referenced in the policy. We will not deny you services, charge you different prices, provide a different level of quality, suggest that you will receive a different price or level of quality, or retaliate against you or any employee, applicant, or independent contractor for exercising rights


        Contact Us

        To exercise your rights as described in this Notice, or to ask questions or make any comments about this Notice or our privacy practices, please contact us at info@sitcancer.org or Call 1-866-723-0678.

        Our mailing address is:

        Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer
        555 East Wells Street, Suite 1100
        Milwaukee, WI 53202-3823 USA

        Web Site Terms of Use

        1. Use License/Ownership

        We grant you permission to temporarily download one copy of the Web Site content, which we make available to Web Site users on the Web Site (the “Content”) for individual, non-commercial transitory viewing only. This is the grant of a license, not a transfer of title, and under this license you may not (a) modify or copy Content; (b) use the Web Site Content for any commercial purpose, or for any public display (commercial or non-commercial); (c) attempt to decompile or reverse engineer any software contained on the Web Site; (d) remove any copyright or other proprietary notations from the Content; or (e) transfer the Content to another person or "mirror" the Content on any other server.

         

        The Web Site is our proprietary property and all Content, source code, databases, functionality, software, web site designs, audio, video, text, photographs, and/or graphics on the Web Site (collectively, the “Web Site Proprietary Components”), as well as the trademarks, service marks, and logos contained therein (the “Marks”), are owned or controlled by us or licensed to us, and are protected by copyright and trademark laws and various other intellectual property rights and unfair competition laws of the United States, foreign jurisdictions, and international conventions. Except as expressly provided in this Notice, no part of the Web Site and no Content or Marks may be copied, reproduced, aggregated, republished, uploaded, posted, publicly displayed, encoded, translated, transmitted, distributed, sold, licensed, or otherwise exploited for any commercial purpose whatsoever, without our express prior written permission.

         

        This license shall automatically terminate if you violate any of these restrictions and may be terminated by us at any time. Upon terminating your viewing of these materials or upon the termination of this license, you must destroy any downloaded materials in your possession whether in electronic or printed format.

         

        1. Disclaimer

        The Web Site, the Content and the Marks are provided on an “AS IS” basis for your information and individual use only. We make no warranties, expressed or implied, and hereby disclaims and negates all other warranties including, without limitation, implied warranties or conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement of intellectual property or other violation of rights.

         

        Further, we do not warrant or make any representations concerning the accuracy, likely results, or reliability of the use of the Web Site, the Content or the Marks or otherwise relating to the content on any sites linked to the Web Site.

         

        1. Limitations

        In no event shall we or our directors, officers, members, employees, agents, vendors or suppliers be liable for any damages (including, without limitation, damages for loss of data or profit, or due to business interruption) arising out of the use or inability to use the Web Site, the Content or any services provided by us, even if we or our authorized representatives have been notified orally or in writing of the possibility of such damage. Because some jurisdictions do not allow limitations on implied warranties, or limitations of liability for consequential or incidental damages, these limitations may not apply to you.

         

        1. Accuracy of Materials

        The Web Site and/or Content and any other materials appearing on the Web Site could include technical, typographical, photographic or other errors. We do not warrant that the Web Site, the Content or any other materials on the Web Site are accurate, complete or current. We may make changes to the materials contained on the Web Site at any time without notice. However, we do not make any commitment to update the Web Site, the Content or any such materials.

         

        1. Interruptions

        We cannot guarantee the Web Site and/or the services we provide will be available at all times. We may experience hardware, software, or other problems or need to perform maintenance related to the Web Site and/or services, resulting in interruptions, delays, or errors. We reserve the right to change, revise, update, suspend, discontinue, or otherwise modify the web site at any time or for any reason without notice to you. You agree that we have no liability whatsoever for any loss, damage, or inconvenience caused by your inability to access or use the Web Site during any downtime or discontinuance of the Web Site. Nothing in this Notice will be construed to obligate us to maintain and support the Web Site or to supply any corrections, updates, or releases in connection therewith.

         

        1. Electronic Communications, Transactions and Signatures

        Visiting the Web Site, sending us emails, and completing online forms constitute electronic communications. You consent to receive electronic communications, and you agree that all agreements, notices, disclosures, and other communications we provide to you electronically, via email and on the Site, satisfy any legal requirement that such communication be in writing. YOU HEREBY AGREE TO THE USE OF ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES, CONTRACTS, ORDERS, AND OTHER RECORDS, AND TO ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF NOTICES, POLICIES, AND RECORDS OF TRANSACTIONS INITIATED OR COMPLETED BY US OR VIA THE SITE. You hereby waive any rights or requirements under any statutes, regulations, rules, ordinances, or other laws in any jurisdiction which require an original signature or delivery or retention of non-electronic records, or to payments or the granting of credits by any means other than electronic means.

         

        1. Term and Termination

        The terms and conditions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect with respect to you and us while you use the Web Site and/or using its services. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THESE TERMS OF USE, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO, IN OUR SOLE DISCRETION AND WITHOUT NOTICE OR LIABILITY, DENY ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE SITE (INCLUDING BLOCKING CERTAIN IP ADDRESSES), TO ANY PERSON FOR ANY REASON OR FOR NO REASON, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION FOR BREACH OF ANY REPRESENTATION, WARRANTY, OR COVENANT CONTAINED IN THESE TERMS OF USE OR OF ANY APPLICABLE LAW OR REGULATION. WE MAY TERMINATE YOUR USE OR PARTICIPATION IN THE WEB SITE OR DELETE ANY CONTENT OR INFORMATION PERTAINING TO YOU AT ANY TIME, WITHOUT WARNING, IN OUR SOLE DISCRETION. In addition to terminating or suspending your use, we reserve the right to take appropriate legal action, including without limitation pursuing civil, criminal, and injunctive redress.

         

        1. Changes to These Terms

        As stated above, we may, from time to time, change this Notice. We encourage you to visit and review this Notice frequently to stay informed. Other changes, including amendments made to the Notice to comply with legal requirements, will become effective immediately upon their initial posting.

         

        1. Indemnification

        By accessing and using the Web Site, you agree to defend, indemnify, and hold us harmless, including our affiliates, and all of our respective directors officers, members, agents, contractors, partners, and employees, from and against any loss, damage, liability, claim, or demand, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, due to or arising out of: (a) your use of the Web Site, the Content or any of our services, whether within the Web Site or otherwise; (b) breach of the terms of this Notice; (c) your violation of the rights of any third party, including but not limited to intellectual property rights; or (d) any harmful act toward us or any other user of the Web Site. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we reserve the right, at your expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter for which you are required to indemnify us, and you agree to cooperate, at your expense, with our defense of such claims. We will use reasonable efforts to notify you of any such claim, action, or proceeding which is subject to this indemnification upon becoming aware of it.

         

        1. Governing Law

        This Notice is governed by and shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the state of Wisconsin and you irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in Wisconsin having jurisdiction over our principal office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.


        SITC Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

        The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) understands the value of diversity, equity and inclusion and is committed to closing gaps within all facets of the organization, as well as ones in the field of immuno-oncology and biomedical sciences. Since 2018, SITC has been proactively following the NIH Statement on Diversity for those in underrepresented Populations in the U.S. Biomedical Sciences across planning, solicitation and implementation of all programming. In 2021, SITC formed the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force to ensure participation from nationally underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds and women from biomedical sciences throughout all society programs and initiatives.