Terms of Service
Your use of our DNA testing Services is subject to the terms of the legal agreement between you and Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. outlined in these Terms of Service ("TOS"). Except as specified herein, these TOS apply to any use of the Services, including but not limited to a) submitting a DNA sample for DNA extraction and processing, b) uploading a digital version of your Genetic Information and interacting with it on our website. To use the Services, you must first agree to the TOS. You may not use the Services if you do not accept the TOS. You can accept the TOS by (1) clicking to accept or agree to the TOS, where this option is made available to you by Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. for any Service; or by (2) using the Services. In this case, you acknowledge and agree that we will treat your use of the Services as acceptance of the TOS from that point onwards. Besides, when using particular Services, you shall be subject to any guidelines or rules applicable to such services that may be posted from time to time. All such guidelines or rules are hereby incorporated by reference into the TOS. Lifestyle Genomics research Centre Limited also may offer other services from time to time that is governed by different terms of service.
Overview
Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. operates from its’ website registered under the domain: www.mthfr-genetics.co.uk
Before using our Website, ordering a DNA testing kit or having access to the results of the DNA testing, you must review and accept these terms and conditions which incorporate the Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited’s Privacy Statement and all other policies referred to herein by reference (the "Terms and Conditions" or "Agreement"). You are legally bound by this Agreement, which is between you and Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited. This Agreement defines your rights and responsibilities as a user of the Website and DNA testing services ("User").
Our Services (as defined below) are operated and provided by Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited, from the United Kingdom. DNA testing services and access to our Website are governed by this Agreement. This Agreement, is, to the extent permitted by the local laws of your country of residence, governed by the laws of the United Kingdom.
Becoming a User and having DNA samples tested as a part of these Services results in your personal and genetic information being transferred to, and stored in the United Kingdom or our European Union designated laboratory and your personal and genetic information being processed in the United Kingdom and your country of residence and you specifically consent to the said transfer, storage and processing.
If you submit a DNA sample of a minor you must be the minor's parent or a legal guardian and you must provide a confirmation of such in a format acceptable to Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited if requested before results for the relevant minor being provided.
These Terms and Conditions, together with Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre's Privacy Statement and any other legal notices or terms published by our company on our Website, shall constitute the entire agreement between you and Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited, concerning the Services. If you don't agree with any of these terms, you must not use this website or its services.
All DNA testing performed by our designated laboratory on samples submitted for testing or by uploading a digital version of DNA analysis is done for genetic research, including population health and ethnicity-related analyses, and not for individual medical or diagnostic purposes.
Before providing a DNA sample for testing, you represent that you are eighteen (18) years of age or older. Besides, you represent that any sample you provide is either your DNA or DNA of a person for whom you are a parent or legal guardian. By submitting DNA samples to Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd, you give permission to our designated laboratory, to extract the DNA from these samples, perform genetic tests on the DNA using test methods available now, to disclose the results of the tests performed to you and others that you authorise, to store the samples for a short time and to store the results of the DNA tests, in every case subject to and per this Agreement and with Lifestyle Genomic Research Centre's Privacy Policy or Statement.
Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited does not claim any ownership rights in the DNA that is submitted for testing. Any genetic information derived from the DNA continues to belong to the person who submitted the DNA sample, subject only to the rights granted to Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre in this Agreement. Any DNA samples submitted to us cannot be returned.
Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited will instruct its' designated laboratory to destroy all sample provided by you.
You confirm that in submitting your sample it is not subject to any export ban or restriction in the country in which you reside. You also agree that you have the authority, under the laws of the state or jurisdiction in which you reside, to provide the representations in this Agreement and you explicitly waive any laws or regulations relating to DNA testing and storage from the state or jurisdiction in which you reside to the extent permissible by applicable law. You agree that the sample will be tested and stored in the United Kingdom or at our European Union designated laboratory, as provided in this Agreement. You further agree that your Results may only be accessible through the DNA results platform, accessible from the Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre’s Website or the invitations sent to you by Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. via email. You may also not be able to use the results in a website targeted to your country of residence or hosted outside the United Kingdom.
You must be 18 years or older to order the DNA Test and use the services offered by Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited.
You must provide Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. with accurate, complete, and up-to-date information. Failure to do so will constitute a breach of this Agreement.
Due to occasional shortages in supply, we may, on some occasions, deliver alternatives to selected collection devices, granted that the alternatives we deliver are of no lesser quality and are not limited in its' fitness for purpose.
If you have reason to believe you have active infectious disease, condition or disorder please do not return your kit to us until that disease condition or disorder is no longer infectious or has been cured.
You are aware and acknowledge that all samples should be returned no later than 3 months from the day the DNA collection kit is delivered to your shipping address.
Governing Law
These Terms and any disputes arising out of or relating to these Terms, the Services or the Website (including contract, tort, statutory and other claims) shall, to the extent permitted by law, be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of United Kingdom and subject to the jurisdiction of the courts and with the laws of United Kingdom. These laws may provide a different level of protection than in your country of residence however your mandatory statutory rights, including in relation to court jurisdiction, shall be unaffected.
Cancellations and Refunds.
You have the right to change your mind and cancel your order for a DNA test and receive a full refund at any time within 14 days of placing the order.
DNA collection kits are non-refundable
If your collection kit has already been shipped or if you have received your collection kit but still would like a refund, Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. will deduct the cost of the collection kit, postage and packaging as well as the admin fee, a total of £35. To cancel please contact us using the contact page on our website. You will be required to quote your order number when cancelling your order. Your right to cancel will lapse 14 days following the date of order.
Orders, followed by successful receipt of collection kits, and sample submission by end-user, can not be cancelled.
Your refund will only be provided via the credit card or PayPal account you used to purchase services or products available on the www.mthfr-genetics.co.uk website. Please allow a reasonable time for the credit to reach you.
Saliva sample checks and sample suitability.
It is the sole responsibility of sample donors or persons assisting with sample collections, to make sure that all instructions are followed properly and accurately as described in instruction sheets enclosed with each collection kit.
It is the sole responsibility of persons purchasing the DNA test and sample collection devices, to make sure that these devices are suitable and compatible with the capabilities of sample donors.
Upon arrival at our Sorting Office, each saliva sample is checked visually for its suitability for downstream procedures.
Samples that have been found not suitable for downstream procedures, will not be processed.
Examples of samples that are not suitable for downstream procedures are:
This list is not exhaustive.
If the sample you submitted has been found unsuitable for downstream procedures, you will be required to purchase a new collection kit and submit a new sample.
If the sample you submitted has been found unsuitable for downstream procedures, you will be notified about it, via email.
Our email notification will contain a link to replacement collection kits.
If you wish to cancel your order at this point, and not proceed with your sample analysis, but the cooling-off period has already expired, you may email us with a special request to cancel your order and any services associated with your order.
If the cooling-off period has expired, we may use our discretion to grant you the right to cancel, in which case, we will offer a full refund minus £35 for your original, misused collection kit, shipping and packaging fees and an admin fee.
Replacement Testing Kits
Should you require or be required to DNA collection kit Replacement, you may order one on our website.
Prices Subject to Change.
Prices may be changed by Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited at any time.
Communications Between you and Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited
Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. can contact you (via the Website,
electronic mail, physical mail or otherwise) to inform you of changes or additions to any related products and services offered by our company.
You agree that any notice, agreement, disclosure or other communications that we send to you electronically will satisfy any legal communication requirements, including that such communications be in writing.
Sample Online Registration
It is your sole responsibility to register your sample online, before you send your sample to our sorting office, as clearly required and stated in the instructions enclosed within your collection kit.
You acknowledge and agree that your sample will not be processed and your results will not be issued if you fail to register your sample online.
You waive the right to any refunds if your sample could not be processed and your results could not be issued because the sample you submitted has not been registered online before it was posted to our Sorting Office.
Miscellaneous
You wave off your access to any sweepstakes, contests, raffles or other promotions (collectively, "Promotions") made available by Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited.
Assignment
Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited assumes the right to assign or transfer our rights and obligations under these Terms to any person who agrees to assume and comply with all the obligations set out in these Terms in circumstances that will not affect your rights or our obligations under these Terms. These Terms are personal to you and, as a result, you may not without the written consent of Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited assign or transfer any of your rights and obligations under these Terms.
Severability
In the event that any term of this Agreement is held to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this Agreement shall remain valid and enforceable. We can replace any term which is not valid and enforceable with a term of similar meaning which is valid and enforceable.
Waiver
Any failure by us to enforce any term of the terms of this Agreement shall not affect our right to require performance at any subsequent time, nor shall the waiver by us of any breach by you of any provisions of these terms be taken to be a waiver of the provision or provisions itself.
Complete Agreement
This Agreement, including any terms, conditions and policies expressly referenced herein, together with the Privacy Policy Statement and any legal notices published on the Websites belonging to Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited shall constitute the complete understanding and agreement between you and us, and shall supersede and cancel any prior or contemporaneous understandings and agreements, except as expressly provided otherwise by Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited.
Changes, updates, and consent.
We are committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations governing the collection and use of personal information. From time to time, we will review the personal information collection, use, and disclosure practices to assure that we are complying with the Privacy Statement and all applicable laws and regulations. If we decide to change our Privacy Statement, we will issue an updated version of this Statement and/or notify you via Website or by other appropriate means before the change becoming effective if it is a significant change. You should review this Privacy Statement regularly to ensure you are familiar with any changes to it.
Your Results and timing of the release of your GENETIC VARIANT REPORT and raw data.
The volume of samples processed varies from batch to batch and therefore, unfortunately, we can't guarantee a fixed time in which your results will be ready. It normally takes between 8-10 working weeks before we can email the raw data and variant reports but it may take longer under some circumstances, for example - a large volume of samples being processed or if the quality of your sample requires extra measures to be applied to it, in order to produce results (for example extra purification or amplification procedures).
Any delays in relation to the release of your results can not be the basis for any claims or refunds.
Results delivery
You will receive your Gene Variant Report in a dynamic PDF format. The PDF format is ultimately a result of further processing of raw data files as generated by the GenomeStudio software at our designated laboratory, and internally processed and organised by Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. with the use of commercially available software. Your dynamic pdf report will be populated with links to our research library, which contains supplementary, educational information which may assist in the interpretation of your results.
You will also receive your DNA raw data file which will include your genotyping results based on a customised Global Screening Array, manufactured by Illumina.
Genetic Variant Reports are .pdf format documents, ultimately generated out of your raw data.
Selected positions are extracted from raw data files with the use of our internal, automated methods, and fed into the software which automatically generates a colour-coded report.
The positions shown on your PDF report were selected as a result of collective research effort between Practitioners trained in Nutritional Therapy, Nutrigenomics and other areas of Functional and Integrative Medicine. This data is also subject to analysis by a Scientific Advisor, holding a minimum of Msc degree in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Epigenetics, Pharmacology or similar.
Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. reviews the data which constitutes for template foundation for these reports, from time to time and based on new findings and newly available research, it might change, adapt or update the software used for automatic generation of the reports. These changes may also affect your result as presented in the PDF file you will or have received.
Call Rates
As part of our quality control process, an anonymized set of data is reviewed to ensure that it meets our quality standards before being loaded into your account. The data is reviewed for call rate and accuracy.
Call rate is defined as the fraction of called SNPs per sample over the total number of SNPs present on the genotyping chip.
SNPs for which a confident determination cannot be made are reported as “no calls" or “--”.
Accuracy checks include, among others, comparing the genotype sex against the sex reported during registration.
Occasionally, sets or batches of samples are flagged for additional quality review. This does not reflect on the quality or viability of a particular sample, but simply the overall set of data. To ensure that you receive information that meets our standards, in these cases, we will perform additional review steps before releasing data.
Failed Samples
A failed sample is a sample where the call rate falls below 95% (0.95)
If the overall call rate for a sample falls below our 95% (0.95) threshold, sample donors will be notified and offered a free re-analysis, provided they are prepared to pay for new collection kits.
We may, at our discretion, review requests for orders cancellations, at this stage and if approved, you will be refunded the full cost of your order, minus £35 for your collection kit and admin fees. To submit such request, please contact us, via the contact form on our website or by writing directly, to contact@mthfr-genetics.co.uk.
Results with call rates between 95% and above will be reported to sample donors.
Should your sample fail to produce results after the first attempt, we may offer you to submit a new sample. We will process your sample again, free of charge but you will be responsible for the purchasing of your replacement collection kit and you will be required to cover the shipping expenses.
Should your sample fail to produce results for the second time, we will refund your money and will deny you any further opportunities to submit another sample with us. We may wave this policy at our discretion. Please contact us if you need to discuss your circumstances in more depth.
Not a Medical Advice
Reports not to be treated as medical advice. Any content accessed through Genetic Variant Reports offered on this website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions, or adverse effects. This content should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Please consult your doctor or other qualified healthcare providers if you have any questions about a medical condition, or before taking any drug, changing your diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment. Do not ignore or delay obtaining professional medical advice because of information accessed through the use of this service before consulting your healthcare provider.
You agree and realise that most published reports about DNA variations explain only a small part of the heritability of a trait, and they also, not always take into account how different variants might interact. In addition, published reports typically ignore your individual environmental, dietary, microbial, medical history and lifestyle factors, any or all of which may well affect your true risk for any trait or disease.
You agree and are aware that you are strongly encouraged to discuss your DNA Variant Report report with a doctor, genetic counsellor or another health-care provider before making any medical or reproductive decisions. You also acknowledge that you are advised to confirm any significant finding discovered in part through the use of our services by an independent, clinically validated test for use in connection with the medical trait in question.
You accept the risk of learning that you may be at risk for certain diseases.
Limitations
You understand and accept that all scientific testings are subject to a margin of error, even in spite of overwhelming evidence, and, as such, cannot be proven to be 100% accurate without repetitive testing - this includes the type of DNA testing offered by Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. Per this understanding, you acknowledge and agree that you will not engage in any public activities designed to target Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd and its' products in any way that may hinder the good reputation, trustworthiness and the ability to perform expected business by our organisation. These activities include social media posts, blog comments, online articles, online forum posts, through any forms of digital graphics or video contents - be it inside private forums targetting wide membership or public groups.
You understand and accept that the data issued to you has undergone a general quality review however only a subset of markers have been individually validated for accuracy. As such, this data is suitable only for research, educational, and informational use and not for medical or other use. You also understand and accept that data downloaded at different times may be different due to ongoing improvements in technologies used to call genotypes.
Liability Disclaimer
We make no express warranties or representations as to the quality and accuracy of the Content, the Website or the Services, and we disclaim any implied warranties or representations, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement, to the full extent permissible under applicable law. We offer the Content, the Website and the Services on an "as is" basis and do not accept responsibility for any use of or reliance on the Website, Content or Services, or for any disruptions to or delay in the Services. In addition Lifestyle, Genomics Research Centre Ltd. does not make any representations as to the accuracy, comprehensiveness, completeness, quality, currency, error-free nature, compatibility, security or fitness for purpose of the Website, Content or Services. Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. does not guarantee the adequacy of the Services or Website or compatibility thereof to your computer equipment, mobile devices, and environment or any 3rd party applications and software.
To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, we limit our liability.
In particular, we shall not be liable for any damages that we cause unintentionally and we shall not be liable to you for any actual, incidental, indirect or consequential loss or damage howsoever caused, provided that nothing in this Agreement will be interpreted to limit or exclude any liability which may not be excluded or limited by law. For example, we shall not be liable to you for any of the following types of damages, whether in contract, tort (including negligence and strict liability) or otherwise (whether such loss or damage was foreseeable, known or otherwise): (i) loss of the use of money; (ii) loss of anticipated savings; or (iii) loss or corruption of, or damage to, data, systems or programs. Because some states/jurisdictions do not allow exclusions as broad as those stated above or limitations of liability for consequential or incidental damages, the above limitations may, in whole or in part, not apply to you. If you are dissatisfied with any portion of the Websites or the Services, or with any clause of these terms, as your sole and exclusive remedy you may discontinue using the Websites and the Services. Although we will not be liable for your losses caused by any unauthorized use of your account, you may be liable to others as well as to us if your account is used in violation of the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
You agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees and agents from and against any and all claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs or expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees) arising from (i) your use of and access to the Website and Services and all platforms used to deliver those services and products (ii) your violation of any term of this Agreement; (iii) your violation of any third-party right, including without limitation any copyright, property, or privacy right; or (iv) any claim that your User-Provided Content caused damage to a third party. This defence and indemnification obligation will survive this Agreement and your use of the Website and Services.
Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. may provide opportunities to Users of the Website to purchase services from third parties. Websites of those third parties are subject to terms and conditions different from those found here and it is your responsibility to ensure that you have read and understood them. Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. makes no warranty concerning, is not responsible for and does not endorse any third party provided goods or services, and you agree that any recourse for dissatisfaction or problems with those goods or services will be sought from the third-party provider and not from the testing Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited.
You hereby release Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. from any and all claims, liens, demands, actions or suits in connection with the DNA sample, the test or results thereof, including, without limitation, errors, omissions, claims for defamation, invasion of privacy, right of publicity, emotional distress or economic loss. This license continues even if you stop using the Website or the Services.
NEITHER YOU NOR Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. OR ANY OF ITS LICENSORS MAY BE HELD LIABLE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT FOR ANY DAMAGES OTHER THAN DIRECT DAMAGES, EVEN IF THE PARTY KNOWS OR SHOULD KNOW THAT OTHER DAMAGES ARE POSSIBLE OR THAT DIRECT DAMAGES ARE NOT A SATISFACTORY REMEDY. THE LIMITATIONS IN THIS SECTION APPLY TO YOU TO THE EXTENT THEY ARE LAWFUL IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.
NEITHER YOU NOR Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. OR ANY OF ITS LICENSORS MAY BE HELD LIABLE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT FOR MORE THAN £1,000.
USE OF THESE SERVICES AND RELIANCE ON any CONTENT we provide IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. MAY NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO YOUR USE OF ANY SERVICE OR CONTENT.
Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. may change this agreement and will post the modified agreement on its website http://mthfr-genetics.co.uk.
You will defend or settle any third-party claim against Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd., any third party Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. feature providers, or any of Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre’s other licensors arising out of or related to your use of Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre’s services.
The limitations of liability in this Section do not apply to breaches of intellectual property provisions or indemnification obligations.
Modifications to this Agreement
Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited may modify these Terms (including any of the terms or policies incorporated by reference herein), the Website, or the Services at any time to take account of changes to user preferences, the Internet economy, applicable laws and industry practices, or other reasons. Changes will be posted on the Website. If you do not accept these updated Terms or do not wish to be bound by changes, you should discontinue use of the Website and the Services.
Privacy Policy
Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited takes your privacy seriously. By visiting mthfr-genetics.co.uk or using our Services, you are consenting to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited places great importance on the security of all personally identifiable information associated with our Users. We have security measures in place to attempt to protect against the loss, misuse or alteration of User data under our control. For example, the security and privacy practices are periodically reviewed and enhanced as necessary and only authorized personnel have access to personal information. Lifestyle genomics Research Centre Limited company works with laboratories and third parties who have met and committed to the company’s security standards. It is also important for you to guard against unauthorized access to your files and the unauthorised use of your computer.
Lifestyle genomics Research Centre Limited will not disclose any of your personal information to third parties except in very limited circumstances which are set out below. Before the testing company begins to transfer personal information to any third party acting as our agent, we will confirm that they have adopted, are subject to, or are contractually obligated to comply with the principles and objectives of this Privacy Statement. Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. may disclose your personal information to third parties: (a) with your knowledge and any relevant consents (for example, when you decide to share your Results with others); (b) as described in this Privacy Statement; (c) as may be required or permitted by law, regulatory authorities, legal process or to protect the rights or property of the testing company, its group companies and Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. or other Users (including outside your country of residence); (d) to enforce our terms and conditions; (e) to prevent fraud or cybercrime; or (f) to permit us to pursue available remedies or limit the damages that we may sustain.
Our communications with you will be via email but may be made via telephone, direct mail or another method of communication in select circumstances. You may also receive promotional offers from Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. If you do not want to continue to receive promotional emails, you may opt-out at any time by contacting us via the contact page on our website.
Please note: If you click away from our Website to visit the site of any third-party advertiser or sponsor, you may be asked for your payment card or other personal information in order to purchase or use the products and services that those third parties offer. These companies have their privacy and data collection practices. We have no responsibility or liability for these independent third-party policies. You should, therefore, review their privacy notices carefully if you have concerns about how your information may be used.
What Does This Policy Cover?
This Policy covers how Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited treats personal information that Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited collects and receives, including via www.mthfr-genetics.co.uk, all related websites, networks, embeddable widgets, downloadable software, mobile applications (including tablet applications), DNS Hosting, dynamic DNS, URL Redirection, email hosting, domain name registration, server monitoring, SSL certificates and software utilities provided by us. This includes information related to your use of Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited products and services, and information about you that is personally identifiable - such as your name, address, email address, IP address and phone number.
The website contains links to other sites. Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited is not responsible for the content or privacy practices of these sites and this Policy does not apply to the practices of those companies that are not affiliated with Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited.
Visiting And Engaging With The Content On Our Website (s)
Our website, shop platform, sample registration page, Practitioner contact form pages, Gene Variant Upload and processing page and the DNA Results platform, all use SSL certified layer of protection.
SSL certificates create a secure environment for visitors. It ensures that all data between the browser and the webserver is encrypted. If a malicious actor were to intercept web traffic to our site, it would be jumbled up. This keeps data such as personal and credit card information from falling into the wrong hands.
SSL certificates also allow websites to authenticate themselves. An authenticated website prominently displays a lock in the address bar on all major browsers. Conversely, browsers like Chrome label websites without SSL as ‘Not Secure’ in red.
How Do We Protect Our Website From Hackers and Malware Activities?
We use SiteLock which is designed to defend our website against hackers. SiteLock automatically scans our site every day to keep it malware-free.
What Information Do We Collect?
Information You Provide
When you register for or use the Service or purchase our products, Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited collects what is generally called "personally identifiable information," "personal information," or "personal data”. All these terms refer to information that specifically relates to or identifies a particular individual. Personal information also includes information that when linked to other information identifies a specific individual. Our site's shop area requires customers to supply contact information, such as name and email address, and demographic information, such as your postcode. Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited also collects information about your transactions with us, including information about your use of our Service. When you place an order, Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited requests additional personal data, such as credit card number. Your financial data is used for the sole purpose of billing you for products and services, you will also be required to supply contact and demographic information such as postcode.
"Automatically Collected" Information
When you use the website and buy our products, we automatically record certain information about your requests and interactions with the Service, including information from your device, by using various types of technology. This "automatically collected" information may include your IP address or other device address or ID, web browser and/or device type, and the dates and times that you visit, access, or use the Service. We also may use these technologies to collect information regarding your interaction with email messages we send you, such as whether you opened, clicked on, or forwarded a message.
Location Information
If you use our Service, we may receive your generic location such as a city or country.
Why We Collect Your Information
We collect information about you:
to allow you to use services on our website and to purchase the products that we offer on our website.
to allow you to request a service, including customer support, give you access to your DNA results, to send DNA collection devices.
to allow you to register your sample and DNA collection kit.
to generate and store your account on our DNA Results platform and server.
to allow you to get involved with our company;
to enable online payments to be made;
to allow you to make a complaint;
to allow us to consider your comments, queries and suggestions and respond if necessary;
to allow us to respond to your enquiries for information/further information;
for registration to certain areas of the website, including the DNA Results portal;
to request consultations or contact from a Practitioner listed in our Practitioner Directory;
to be able to generate your Gene Variant Report through our Gene Variant Report services;
to inform you about updates, promotions and to provide you with educational content;
to create affiliate and partnership profiles;
to allow you to register as a Practitioner on our Practitioner Directory.
to label and ship your purchased products to your shipping address.
to improve our Website and the Services (or to develop new products and services), we may use your personal information for internal data analysis, studying how our Website is used, identifying usage trends and determining the effectiveness of promotional campaigns.
When you are directed to one of the online payment web pages, some contact details and card details will be collected to enable your payment to be made. These will be obtained using a secure third-party provider, such as PayPal and Stripe. Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited does not store your credit card details.
How We Collect and Use Your Information
We use the following channels to collect and process your information:
Products Purchasing process
To make it possible for you to purchase our products and services as featured on our shop page, we use the shopping platform provided to us via our website host: one.com.Your data collected during the purchasing process is stored on One.com’s servers and we act as data processor for this information. As One.com’s customer, we are the data controller for this data.
All data of customers residing in the European Union is hosted in One.com’s data centres in Denmark within the European Union. This DOES NOT include DNA data which is processed and stored totally independently of the systems used for the purposes of orders processing.
One.com does not monitor data we have stored on their webspace or in emails. It is our own responsibility to comply with the GDPR and other regulations.
The one.com data centre is designed to meet the highest standards of security. All customer data and one.com’s system data are secured through a daily remote backup of all servers via a private 10 Gbit fibre connection to a separate backup data centre located 10 km from the main data centre.
Collecting Payments
Our shop offers 2 options for making payments
1. Stripe - When using any of these options to pay for your order, you will be subjected to an additional set of Terms of Use and Privacy Policies as offered by these providers. Our Stripe account will collect the following information about you: Name, Surname, Address, Email Address, Location, Credit Card details. Credit Card details are encrypted and not visible to Lifestyle Genomics Research centre Limited.
2. Manual payment -Bank transfer - You can also choose the Manual Payment option which will require you to transfer the amount directly from your bank account.
Connecting with a Practitioner
Data submitted via any of our Practitioner contact forms is stored in our email inbox and also forwarded to the email inbox of the Practitioner you want to connect with.
We may use your email address collected via these forms to contact you about updates, educational content and product offers.
Sample Registration And Processing Of Sample Registration Data
Online Sample Registration is a mandatory requirement for all users of our services who wish to have their DNA analysed at our designated laboratory,
We use Cognito LLC, who provide the online platform through which you can complete our Sample Registration form online and they store the completed form on our behalf. Cognito Forms LLC is based in the United States, however, Cognito Forms LLC participates in and has certified its compliance with the EU-US Privacy Shield Framework, as part of which Cognito LLC has agreed to comply with data protection standards similar to those available in the UK when it holds and uses your personal information. More information is available here: https://www.cognitoforms.com/privacy and https://www.cognitoforms.com/terms.
To ensure that all data storage and processing activities performed by Cognito LLC adhere to the GDPR regulations, Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited and Cognoto LLC have signed the Data Processing Addendum agreement between the two companies.
Cognito LLC uses SSL encryption and is accessed over HTTPS 100% of the time for all users. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is the standard for ensuring data is encrypted when being sent to a web server from a browser.
This adds on another layer of entered data protection, in addition to our www.mthfr-genetics.co.uk website, which is also SSL certified.
We use Cognito LLC to collect email addresses, passwords, names and surnames of sample donors and names and surnames of persons submitting samples on behalf of sample donors.
The primary purpose of collecting this information is to enable us to create your account on our DNA Results platform and to share your results with you.
We also use this information to match the sample barcode with your account, to make sure that we issue DNA data only to the data owner (the person who registered and submitted DNA sample).
Data gathered via our Sample Registration Form is subject to the following security measures:
TLS 1.2/SSL encryption.
Hosted securely on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform, which is PCI (DSS) Level 1
Customer data is carefully segregated at the lowest architectural level in Cognito Forms to ensure that data for one organisation cannot be accessed by another organisation.
Architecture is unique and highly specialised for massive scale while maintaining data isolation. It does not use transitional databases and is not vulnerable to SQL injection attacks.
All text data stored is sanitised to prevent JavaScript injection attacks, which someone might attempt to leverage by submitting JavaScript as entry data to maliciously access other entry data by compromising our customers' browsers when managing entries.
Sensitive data, and other personally identifiable information, is required to be encrypted at rest using 256-bit AES encryption
Practitioners And Partner Users Purchasing Our Products On Behalf Of Their Clients - Drop Shipping
If you are a Practitioner or Partner User ordering our products on behalf of your clients and you are using your clients' details, such as name, surname, shipping address and telephone number, you are fully responsible for making sure that your clients are fully aware of and understand the practices described in this Privacy Policy, in connection to your clients’ details collected through the ordering process.
Sample Registration Confirmation Email Notifications
We will use the following details, given by you, during the Sample Registration process, in order to inform you that your sample arrived at our Sorting Office: Name and Surname of the sample donor, the email address registered with your sample, part of your sample barcode.
Practitioners And Purchasing Partners Registering Samples On Behalf Of Their Clients
If you are a Practitioner or a partner who registers samples on behalf of your clients, you have the full responsibility of making sure that your clients are fully aware of and understand the practices described in this Privacy Policy, in connection to your clients’ details collected via our Sample Registration form.
Creating and Hosting Your Account on our private DNA Results Platform/Server
Some of the data collected via our Sample Registration Form is used to create and host your account on our DNA Results Platform.
We use the following data in order to create and host your account: Name, Surname, Email address and Password.
When your account has been created successfully on our DNA Results Platform, you will receive an email notification with your account access link.
This email will be sent from our email address: admin@mthfr-genetics.co.uk
To access your account and your results, you will still be required to enter the login details you registered via our Sample Registration Form.
Our private server IP allows you to access your DNA raw data file and your Gene Variant Report from most locations, on most devices.
How Secure is our server (aka. DNA Results Platform)?
Our server interface supports HTTPS and offers server-side encryption. Our server infrastructure automatically generates a 4096-bit strong private/public key-pair for each user. Private keys are encrypted with the user’s login password and thus nobody can get at your data if you are not logged in on our server.
Our Private server webspace, aka. DNA Results Platform can also be accessed through the Access Your Results Button, located in the right, upper corner on our website.
By clicking on this button, you navigate away from our www.mthfr-genetics.co.uk and are redirected to our https://mthfrdnaresults.ddns.net/ domain, assigned to our private server.
Who is involved in the generation and processing of your DNA raw data?
Raw data files are generated using GenomeStudio and issued by the Laboratory's FTP connection between our designated laboratory and Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre. The DNA raw data sets are stored at the Laboratory's location for a limited time.
Your DNA data may be additionally checked for accuracy and quality by Illumina, which is the company responsible for the design and the manufacturing process of our customised chip. In the event that your raw DNA data is subject to additional quality checks by Illumina, it will be shared with us via Illumina’s secure box portal Once the datasets are successfully collected by Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited, they will be deleted from Illumina’s box portal.
Neither the Laboratory nor Illumina has access to your identifiable information and any work carried out by either of these entities, deals with anonymised DNA data.
Your DNA raw data is then processed and converted by Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited, using our in-house methods, to issue Gene Variant Reports and the final version of your raw data file.
The final version of your raw data file and your Gene Variant Report are uploaded to and stored on our private, secure server in the United Kingdom.
You may choose to delete your raw data file and your Gene Variant Report from our server, at any time.
We may also store a backup version of your raw data file on an offline storage device. If you decide to remove your raw data file from our server, please remember to email us on contact@mthfr-genetics.co.uk, with a request to remove the backup copy of your raw data file, from our backup device.
Sharing DNA results
If you are the Administrator of a DNA Test, you can choose to invite others to access your DNA Results, which will give those Users permission to see your DNA Results on our DNA Results Platform and, in certain cases, edit some of your information.
Downloading your data
If you so choose, you can download your report (s) and your raw data files.
We strongly advise you to download and save all of your results and accompanying files as we can not guarantee to store these files indefinitely.
Please note: if you or we delete Results, copies of that information may remain viewable elsewhere to the extent any such copy has been shared with others and copied and stored. If you have given third-party applications or websites access to your information, they may retain your information to the extent permitted under their terms of service or privacy policies but they will no longer be able to access the information through our platform after you disconnect from them. Information that is removed or deleted may also persist in backup copies for a reasonable time for our internal and the testing company’s internal business purposes but will not be available to you or others.
Please note that once your data is downloaded onto any device, it will no longer be protected by our security measures.
Gene Variant Reports
Your Gene Variant will contain the following information you provide during the online sample registration process: name, surname, sample barcode number.
Gene Variant Reports included with your results are populated with hyperlinks to our Research Library. Our Research Library contains links to other public libraries and online resources.
Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited is not responsible for the content or privacy practices of these sites and this Policy does not apply to the practices of those companies that are not affiliated with Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited.
How We May Use Your DNA Data
Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre may INTERNALLY analyse Users’ results to make discoveries in the study of medicine and other topics. Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre will never use your results or other information for the purposes of collaborative research or publication without your voluntary and informed consent.
As Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Ltd. continues to grow and change, they might restructure, buy, or sell subsidiaries or business units. In these transactions, customer information is often one of the transferred assets, remaining subject to promises made in then prevailing privacy statements. Also, in the event that the testing company or substantially all of its assets or stock are acquired, transferred, disposed of (in whole or part and including in connection with any insolvency or similar proceedings), personal information will as a matter, of course, be one of the transferred assets.
Changes To Our Privacy Policy
We post any changes we make to our Privacy Policy on this page. If we make material changes to how we treat our users’ personal information, we will notify you by email to the email address specified in your account. You are responsible for ensuring we have an up-to-date, active and deliverable email address for you. You are also responsible for visiting our Privacy Policy from time to time to check for any changes. All changes are effective immediately when we post them, and they apply to all access to and use of the Services from that point onward. If you use our Services after we make changes to our Privacy Policy, you acknowledge and agree to the current version of the Privacy Policy.
Your Rights
We inform you that, as a data subject, you are entitled to exercise the below-listed rights under Articles 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 of the Regulation. To exercise these rights, please email us on contact@mthfr-genetics.co.uk
Ask and obtain information about whether or not Lifestyle Genomics Research Centre Limited is holding any of your personal data or whether or not your personal data are being processed and, in this case, you may have access to them;
Ask and obtain a copy of your personal data that are processed by automated means in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format; you can also claim the right to transmit those data to another controller;
Ask and obtain the alteration and/or rectification of your personal data when you consider them to be inaccurate or incomplete;
Ask and obtain the erasure – and/or a processing restriction – of your personal data whenever they are not necessary – or no longer necessary – to fulfil the purposes for which they were collected, hence upon expiry of the retention period.
Please note that you can lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority whenever your personal data is unlawfully processed.
