Effective Date: 2026-01-01

1. Introduction

HealthGene Laboratory (“HealthGene,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of personal information in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable Ontario privacy laws.

This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard personal information in connection with our veterinary diagnostic services and website operations.

2. Scope of This Policy

This Policy applies to:

• Veterinary clinics and licensed professionals
• Business representatives and account holders
• Website visitors
• Individuals who contact us for information

HealthGene provides veterinary laboratory services. We do not provide human healthcare services and do not collect personal health information governed by Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA), except incidentally (e.g., business contact information).

3. Information We Collect

A. Business & Professional Information

We collect professional contact information necessary to provide laboratory services, including:

• Veterinarian and clinic name
• Business address
• Telephone number
• Email address
• Billing and account details
• Ordering and submission information

This information is collected for business and service delivery purposes.

B. Animal Patient & Clinical Information

We collect information necessary to perform diagnostic testing, including:

• Species, breed, age, and sex of the animal
• Relevant clinical history
• Test results and laboratory findings

This information relates to animal patients and is not considered personal health information under PHIPA.

C. Website & Technical Information

When visiting our website, we may collect:

• IP address
• Browser and device information
• Pages visited
• Cookies and analytics data

This data is used for security monitoring and website performance improvement.

4. Purpose of Collection

We collect personal information for the following purposes:

• To process and analyze laboratory specimens
• To generate and deliver diagnostic reports
• To manage client accounts and billing
• To provide customer and technical support
• To improve service quality and operational efficiency
• To comply with legal and regulatory obligations

We limit collection to information necessary for these purposes.

5. Consent

By engaging HealthGene’s services or using our website, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of information as described in this Policy.

Consent may be express or implied depending on the nature of the information and the context in which it is collected.

You may withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions.

6. Disclosure of Information

We do not sell or trade personal information.

Information may be disclosed only when necessary:

• To authorized laboratory personnel
• To third-party service providers (e.g., IT support, billing processors)
• To accredited external reference laboratories when outsourced testing is required
• When required by law, court order, or regulatory authority

All third-party providers are required to maintain appropriate confidentiality and data protection standards.

7. Safeguards

HealthGene maintains administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information, including:

• Controlled system access
• Secure digital storage
• Password-protected platforms
• Internal confidentiality protocols
• Restricted access to laboratory data

We regularly review security practices to mitigate risks of unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse.

8. Data Retention

We retain information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law, regulatory standards, or professional record-keeping practices.

When information is no longer required, it is securely deleted or destroyed.

9. Accuracy of Information

We take reasonable steps to ensure that business contact and laboratory information is accurate, complete, and up to date. Clients may request corrections if inaccuracies are identified.

10. Access Rights

Under PIPEDA, individuals have the right to:

• Request access to personal information we hold about them
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Inquire about how their information has been used

Requests must be submitted in writing using the contact information below.

11. Cookies & Website Analytics

Our website may use cookies and analytics tools to enhance functionality and monitor site performance. Users may modify browser settings to control cookie preferences.

12. Changes to This Policy

HealthGene reserves the right to update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in legal requirements or operational practices. The current version will always be posted on our website with an updated effective date.

13. Contact Information

For questions regarding this Privacy Policy or to submit a privacy-related request, please contact:

HealthGene Laboratory
9131 Keele Street, Unit A2
Concord, Ontario, Canada
Email: info@healthgene.com
Phone: 1 877-371-1551