About Market Research

• Marketing research must always conform to the national and international legislation which applies in those countries involved in a given research project.
• Respondents' co-operation in a marketing research project is entirely voluntary at all stages. They must not be misled when being asked for their co-operation.
• Respondents' anonymity must be strictly preserved. If the Respondent on request from the Researcher gives permission for data to be passed on in a form which allows that Respondent to be personally identified, then the Respondent must first be told to whom the information will be supplied and the purposes for which it will be used. The Researcher must ensure that the information will not be used for any non-research purpose and that the recipient of the information has agreed to conform to the requirements of this charter.
• The exception to this would be if you reported an adverse reaction to a particular pharmaceutical product and the project had been commissioned by the manufacturer of that product. In this case we have to report details of the finding back to the pharmaceutical’s manufacturer. It is worth pointing out that this exception has only very recently been introduced and it is designed to ensure that reporting of these incidents is as accurate as possible, to help the manufacturers provide the best possible healthcare products.
• The Researcher must take all reasonable precautions to ensure that Respondents are in no way directly harmed or adversely affected as a result of their participation in a marketing research project.
• The Researcher must take special care when interviewing children and young people. The informed consent of the parent or responsible adult must first be obtained for interviews with children.
• Respondents must be told (normally at the beginning of the interview) if observation techniques or recording equipment are being used, except where these are used in a public place. If a Respondent so wishes, the record or relevant section of it must be destroyed or deleted. Respondents' anonymity must not be infringed by the use of such methods.
• Respondents must be enabled to check without difficulty the identity and bona fides of the Researcher.

The Professional Responsibilities of Researchers

• Researchers must not, whether knowingly or negligently, act in any way which could bring discredit on the marketing research profession or lead to a loss of public confidence in it.
• Researchers must not make false claims about their skills and experience or about those of their organisation.
• Researchers must ensure the security of all research records in their possession.
• When acting in their capacity as Researchers the latter must not undertake any non-research activities, for example database marketing involving data about individuals which may be used for direct marketing and promotional activities. Any such non-research activities must always, in the way they are organised and carried out, be clearly differentiated from market research activities.

The Patient Connection is itself a member of the following professional bodies and of course abides by their codes of conduct. We try to ensure the best possible research experience for you and your family.

Our current memberships consist of the following bodies with links to their web sites. All are market research based but some specifically deal with the area of medical and healthcare market research:-

• CASRO (www.casro.org)
• ESOMAR (www.esomar.org)
• The Market Research Society (www.mrs.org.uk)
• PBIRG (www.pbirg.org)
• EphMRA (www.ephmra.org)
• PMRG (www.pmrg.org)

When you join the panel both you and The Patient Connection agree to the following terms and conditions.

The Patient Connection Ltd is owner of The Patients’ Voice website and is entirely responsible for operating this website.

If you do not agree with the terms of use and the Privacy Policy, please do not use this website.

For your information The Patient Connection Ltd. company number 05601323, has its registered office at 83 Victoria Street, Westminster,London, SW1H 0HW, UK.

Services agreement

Once you have registered with The Patients’ Voice and completed the initial questionnaire, you become a valued member of the community.

We offer you the opportunity to take part in market research healthcare surveys and, by accepting to take part, you agree to provide us with the information we request, thus bringing into existence a legally binding contract between us. This agreement is a contract for provision of services and shall not be a legal partnership between you and The Patient Connection Ltd. This website will only be used in accordance with this agreement and all applicable laws.

The Patient Connection obligations

• We will always consider your eligibility to take part in each of the surveys.
• The selection of a panel member for survey participation is dependent on the requirements of the client and the survey. From the total eligible population within the panel a random selection may be made.

The Community member’s obligations

• The Member must be over 16 years of age.
• From time to time, respondents younger than 16 years may be asked to participate in healthcare surveys, if appropriate, subject to written consent from a parent/carer.

Termination of agreement

• The Patients’ Voice may terminate this agreement and your membership of the community at any time by giving you 30 days notice.
• Should you wish to terminate the agreement, we will offer you the opportunity to leave the community in any e-mail we send you.

Intellectual Property Rights

• The Patient Connection owns all intellectual property rights and all copyright shown in this website, unless otherwise stated.
• The Patient Connection will allow you to download, copy or print any part of this website you may wish, with the proviso that it is only for your own personal use and has no commercial bearing.

Liability limitations

• The Patient Connection shall not be liable in any way for any damages from your use or inability to use the website, either directly or indirectly.
• The Patient Connection shall in no way be liable for death, personal injury or fraud.

Disclaimer of Warranty

• The Patients’ Voice cannot guarantee that the website will be virus-free or run without interruptions beyond our control.
• We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information.

Data Protection

• Any personal information submitted by you will be dealt with in accordance with our Privacy Policy and of course with any legislation and best practice regarding adverse reaction reporting.

Changes to the Terms of the Policy

• We may institute some changes to the website from time to time to improve our service to you. Should this happen, and our terms are modified, The Patient Connection will assume your acceptance by your continued use the website and participation in research studies.

Jurisdiction

• This agreement is governed by the Laws of England.