Privacy Policy

Sanofi is bound by the National Privacy Principles (“Principles”) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (“Privacy Act”). The Principles are designed to protect the confidentiality of personal information and the privacy of individuals by regulating the way personal information is managed by certain private sector organisations, including sanofi-aventis. In summary, the Principles define “personal information” as information or an opinion relating to an individual that can be used to identify that individual.

This privacy policy (“Privacy Policy” or “Policy”) does not apply to third party on-line resources to which Sanofi’s website might be linked where Sanofi does not control the privacy practices of such resources.  However, Sanofi will endeavour to link to on-line resources that are known to abide by the Principles.

1. Why does Sanofi collect personal information?

Sanofi is a leading Australian pharmaceutical company and is part of the international Sanofi group. Sanofi is in the business of researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing pharmaceutical products. As a matter of conducting its routine business, sanofi-aventis may collect the following types of personal (including health) information:

a. Consumers/Patients

Sanofi obtains personal information from patients or members of the public in various ways including in writing, the internet and through telephone inquiries. The type of information Sanofi collects in this situation includes a person's name, address and contact details, and information relating to the inquiry. Sanofi may also collect information about the patient or consumer's current and past medical status, such as medications being taken, the names of the patient’s doctors, medical procedures undergone and other information that is reasonably required to properly respond to an inquiry.

Collecting this personal information is necessary to enable Sanofi to deal with the inquiry and may be necessary to allow us to meet any legal obligations.

On occasions, health professionals disclose personal and health information about patients to Sanofi when it is considered necessary in relation to the treatment of a patient.

b. Patient Support and Information Programs

If a patient or consumer chooses to participate in a patient support or information program, this Privacy Policy, in particular, “Consumers/Patients” detailed above, will apply with respect to personal information made available to Sanofi. Please be advised that Sanofi out-sources some of these programs to independent contractors. These contractors are required to adhere to the privacy laws and Sanofi’s Privacy Policy with respect to all personal information provided to them. Generally, Sanofi does not have access to the personal information given to these independent contractors for patient support programs.

c. Healthcare Professionals and Their Employees

Sanofi collects personal information about healthcare professionals and their employees or assistants, such as doctors and pharmacists, who prescribe and dispense Sanofi products, to enable it to deal with those health professionals.

d. Websites

When you look at www.sanofi.com.au, the Internet Service Provider of our parent company located in France makes a record of your visit and logs the following information for statistical purposes:

• your server address;
• your top level domain name (for example .com, .gov, .au, .uk etc);
• the pages you accessed and documents downloaded;
• the previous site you have visited; and
• the type of browser you are using.

Sanofi will not make an attempt to identify users or their browsing activities. However, in the unlikely event of an investigation, a law enforcement agency or other government agency may exercise its legal authority to inspect our parent company’s Internet Service Provider's logs.

Sanofi will only record your e-mail address if you send us a message. Your e-mail address will only be used or disclosed for the purpose for which you have provided it and it will not be added to a mailing list or used or disclosed for any other purpose without your consent.

e. Information Collected from Clinical Trials

At times patients participate in clinical trials of pharmaceutical products in order to further research and development of certain drugs or health services. In doing so, patients may provide personal information to the doctor or investigator conducting the clinical trial.

However, personal information collected by doctors and investigators conducting clinical trials is not generally provided to Sanofi. Sanofi receives the information relating to a clinical trial patient's health and pharmaceutical needs in a de-identified form. Personal information such as the patient's name and address is not provided to Sanofi.

On occasions people employed by Sanofi, or contractors working on behalf of sanofi-aventis, may access this personal information at the source of collection for the purpose of verifying data.

Sanofi collects personal information about the doctors and investigators conducting clinical trials and people who assist them. In general, the type of information Sanofi collects includes the name, address, telephone details, field of expertise, position, role in study and qualifications and includes information provided on Curricula Vitae and Financial Disclosure Forms. Sanofi may use such information worldwide to pursue its business. In particular, Sanofi is required to obtain comprehensive information about potential or actual investigators in order to maintain quality clinical trials and consistently meet global regulatory and compliance guidelines. Some of the information collected may be stored and used in the United States or other countries which are deemed to lack an adequate level of data protection in the sense of the European Community Directive on data protection (95/46/EC) dated 24 October 1995. However, Sanofi will abide by the highest standards of data protection and privacy.

2. How does Sanofi use personal information and to whom may Sanofi disclose it?

The Principles generally require Sanofi to use personal information only for the primary purpose for which it is collected, or for secondary purposes that are related to the primary purpose.

In general, Sanofi uses personal information for the following purposes:

• to promote and market Sanofi’s products and services;
• to provide health products or services (including advice) that have been requested;
• to involve doctors and investigators (and the people who assist them) in clinical trials; and
• to comply with legal obligations.

Sanofi discloses personal information to third parties, including its associated Companies, within or outside of Australia to help Sanofi improve its pharmaceutical products and health services. Information may also be disclosed to regulatory authorities and ethics committees as part of a clinical trial evaluation, monitoring or inspection process.

Generally, we require that organisations outside Sanofi who handle or obtain personal information as service providers to Sanofi acknowledge the confidentiality of this information, undertake to respect an individual’s right to privacy and comply with the National Privacy Principles and this Policy.

In most cases, if you do not provide information about yourself which Sanofi has requested, Sanofi may not be able to provide you with the relevant service or information required.

3. Sensitive information is subject to greater restrictions

Some personal information collected by Sanofi is considered “sensitive”. Sensitive information which Sanofi may collect includes a person’s state of health and medical history.

The Principles require that sensitive information is used and disclosed only for the purposes for which it was provided, or a directly related secondary purpose, unless you agree otherwise or for other specific reasons such as if the use or disclosure of this information is required by law or to prevent a serious and imminent threat to life or health of an individual.

4. Management and security of personal information

Sanofi has appointed a Privacy Officer to oversee Sanofi’s management of personal information in accordance with this Policy and the Privacy Act.

All data that is collected is held electronically on password protected systems. Personal information is only accessible by persons that require access to that information to carry out their work. Sanofi has directed its staff that personal information must be dealt with in accordance with this Policy and kept secure from unauthorised access or disclosure.

5. Updating personal information that Sanofi holds about you

Sanofi endeavours to ensure that the personal information it holds is accurate, complete and up-to-date. Please contact Sanofi if you believe that the information Sanofi holds about you requires changing or becomes out-of-date. Sanofi's contact details are set out below.

6. Accessing personal information sanofi-aventis holds about you

You can, in most cases, access the personal information Sanofi holds about you. If you wish to do so, please contact Sanofi as set out below.

7. What if you have an enquiry?

If you have questions about Sanofi, its privacy practices or this Privacy Policy, wish to provide feedback about this Policy, would like to update your personal details held by Sanofi or wish to access personal information held by Sanofi about you, please contact Sanofi using the contact details below. Sanofi will endeavour to act promptly in response to a request.

8. How to contact us

• E-mail:
  privacyofficer.australia@sanofi.com
• Mail:
  Privacy Officer
  Sanofi-aventis Australia Pty Ltd
  Talavera Corporate Centre
  Building D, 12-24 Talavera Road
  Macquarie Park NSW 2113

Updated: August 28, 2012