Privacy Policy

1. Information We May Collect

When you use our website or contact Hometown Research, we may collect information that you choose to provide, including:

• Name, phone number, email address, and preferred contact method
• City, state, ZIP code, or preferred research location
• Age range, date of birth, or other eligibility-related information
• Health conditions, medications, symptoms, diagnosis history, or other information related to study eligibility
• Insurance or provider information, if needed for a specific study or service
• Communication preferences and records of your interactions with our team
• Website usage information, such as pages visited, form submissions, device type, browser type, and general analytics data

Please do not submit sensitive medical information through the website unless the form specifically requests it for research screening or study-related purposes.

2. How We Use Your Information

Hometown Research may use the information we collect to:

• Respond to your questions or requests
• Contact you about clinical research studies that may be relevant to you
• Pre-screen you for potential study eligibility
• Schedule research-related visits, calls, or follow-up communications
• Provide information about Hometown Research locations, providers, studies, or services
• Support study recruitment, research operations, quality assurance, and compliance activities
• Improve our website, forms, communications, and user experience
• Comply with applicable legal, regulatory, contractual, and research oversight requirements

3. Clinical Research and Study-Specific Information

Submitting information through this website does not automatically enroll you in a clinical research study. Participation in any study is voluntary and may require additional screening, review of study criteria, informed consent, and, when applicable, a separate HIPAA authorization.

If you are considered for a clinical research study, you may receive additional documents explaining the study purpose, procedures, risks, benefits, compensation, privacy protections, and how your health information may be used or disclosed for that specific study.

Study-related information may be reviewed or used by authorized research staff, study sponsors, contract research organizations, institutional review boards, ethics committees, regulatory authorities, auditors, or other parties involved in the oversight, monitoring, or conduct of the study, as permitted or required by law and the study documents.

4. HIPAA and Protected Health Information

Some information collected by Hometown Research may be considered protected health information, or PHI, under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and its implementing regulations, commonly known as HIPAA.

When HIPAA applies, Hometown Research will use and disclose protected health information only as permitted or required by law, by a valid HIPAA authorization, by an applicable informed consent process, or as otherwise allowed for research, treatment, payment, healthcare operations, public health, regulatory oversight, or other legally permitted purposes.

Hometown Research maintains administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect health information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure.

5. How We May Share Information

Hometown Research does not sell your personal health information. We may share information when appropriate and permitted by law, including with:

• Hometown Research staff and affiliated healthcare or research personnel
• Clinical study sponsors, contract research organizations, laboratories, vendors, or service providers involved in study operations
• Institutional review boards, ethics committees, auditors, monitors, or regulatory agencies
• Technology vendors that support our website, scheduling, communication, analytics, security, or data systems
• Healthcare providers or emergency contacts when needed for safety, continuity of care, or as permitted by law
• Government agencies, courts, law enforcement, or public health authorities when required or permitted by law

Vendors and service providers that handle personal information on our behalf are expected to protect that information and use it only for the services they provide to Hometown Research.

6. Website Analytics, Cookies, and Tracking Technologies

Our website may use cookies, pixels, analytics tools, or similar technologies to understand how visitors use the site, improve performance, measure marketing effectiveness, and support a better user experience.

These tools may collect information such as your browser type, device type, IP address, pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, and general location information. You may be able to control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect how certain website features function.

Hometown Research does not knowingly use website tracking tools to disclose protected health information for advertising purposes without authorization where required by law.

7. Text Messages, Calls, and Email Communications

If you provide your phone number or email address, Hometown Research may contact you about your inquiry, potential study eligibility, appointment scheduling, follow-up questions, or research opportunities.

Standard message and data rates may apply for text messages. You may opt out of text communications by replying STOP or by contacting us directly. Email and text messaging may not always be fully secure, so please avoid sending highly sensitive information through unencrypted email or text unless instructed by our team.

8. Data Security

Hometown Research uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect personal and health-related information. These safeguards may include restricted access, secure systems, staff training, vendor controls, and other measures designed to protect information.

No website, electronic system, or method of transmission is completely secure. While we work to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Data Retention

Hometown Research retains personal, health, and research-related information for as long as needed to support research operations, respond to inquiries, comply with legal and regulatory requirements, maintain study records, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements.

Study records may be retained for the period required by applicable law, study sponsors, institutional review boards, regulatory authorities, or research agreements.

10. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on the type of information involved and applicable law, you may have rights to request access to certain information, request corrections, ask questions about how your information is used, withdraw certain permissions, or opt out of certain communications.

If you are enrolled in a clinical research study, your rights related to study information may be explained in the informed consent form, HIPAA authorization, or other study-specific documents.

Withdrawing from communications or declining to provide certain information may affect our ability to contact you, evaluate study eligibility, or provide research-related services.

11. Children’s Privacy

Hometown Research does not knowingly collect personal information from children through this website without appropriate permission from a parent or legal guardian where required. Some clinical research studies may involve minors, but those studies require additional protections, consent, assent, and review procedures as applicable.

12. Links to Other Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including study sponsor websites, government resources, maps, social media pages, or other external resources. Hometown Research is not responsible for the privacy practices, security, or content of third-party websites.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

Hometown Research may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Updates will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. Your continued use of the website after updates are posted means you acknowledge the revised policy.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, how your information is collected or used, or privacy practices at Hometown Research, please contact us:

If your question relates to a specific clinical research study, please contact the study team listed in your study documents or visit the Contact Hometown Research page.