PRIVACY POLICY

American Association for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology

Effective Date: January 10, 2011

Last Updated: August 31, 2026

The American Association for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (“AABIP,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects the privacy of its members, applicants, certificants, fellows, program participants, website and mobile application users, and others who interact with AABIP. This Privacy Policy explains how AABIP collects, uses, maintains, protects, discloses, retains, and deletes information in connection with AABIP’s websites, mobile applications, membership services, educational programs, certification activities, events, surveys, communications, and other programs and services (collectively, the “Services”).

By accessing or using the Services or providing information to AABIP, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy. Where consent is required by applicable law, AABIP will obtain consent as required.

1. Information We Collect

The information AABIP collects depends upon how you interact with us and the Services you use.

A. Information You Provide to AABIP

• name, title, credentials, specialty, and professional designation;
• email address, telephone number, mailing address, and other contact information;
• employer, institution, practice, training program, professional affiliation, and professional address;
• membership status, membership category, membership history, committee participation, and other membership information;
• education, training, fellowship, licensure, certification, professional qualifications, procedure experience, and related professional information submitted in connection with certification, accreditation, educational, or professional programs;
• account information, username, password, and other authentication information;
• event, conference, webinar, course, and educational-program registrations and participation;
• applications, forms, surveys, nominations, evaluations, submissions, and communications;
• purchases, membership dues, donations, registration fees, and transaction information;
• preferences regarding communications and participation in AABIP activities; and
• other information you choose to provide to AABIP.

B. Payment Information

When you make a payment, register for an event, pay membership dues, make a donation, or purchase a product or service, payment information may be collected and processed by AABIP's third-party payment processors or service providers.

AABIP does not intend to retain complete payment-card numbers or card security codes on its own systems except to the extent necessary and permitted through an authorized payment-processing system.

C. Information Collected Automatically

• Internet Protocol (IP) address;
• browser type and version;
• device type and operating system;
• device identifiers;
• application version;
• referring and exit pages;
• dates and times of access;
• pages, features, or content viewed;
• application or website interactions;
• log and diagnostic information;
• general geographic information derived from an IP address; and
• cookie, analytics, and similar technology information.

We use this information to operate and secure the Services, authenticate users, diagnose technical issues, understand use of the Services, and improve functionality and user experience.

D. Information Received from Third Parties

AABIP may receive information from third parties when appropriate in connection with its activities, including service providers, educational partners, certification or accreditation organizations, meeting and event providers, professional organizations, and other entities with which AABIP collaborates.

When AABIP receives personal information from another organization, we use and disclose that information in accordance with applicable law, applicable contractual restrictions, and the purposes for which it was provided.

2. How We Use Information

• establish, maintain, and administer membership accounts;
• process membership applications and renewals;
• authenticate users and provide access to member resources;
• communicate with members and other users;
• administer educational programs, conferences, meetings, webinars, courses, and other events;
• administer certification, credentialing, accreditation, assessment, and related professional activities;
• process registrations, payments, donations, purchases, and other transactions;
• provide requested products, services, resources, or support;
• maintain membership, certification, educational, and participation records;
• administer surveys, research initiatives, quality-improvement activities, and professional or organizational initiatives;
• communicate information concerning AABIP programs, activities, elections, committees, benefits, educational opportunities, and other matters relevant to AABIP's mission;
• respond to questions, requests, complaints, and other communications;
• operate, maintain, secure, troubleshoot, analyze, and improve AABIP's websites, applications, systems, and Services;
• prevent fraud, unauthorized access, misuse, security incidents, or other unlawful activity;
• maintain appropriate organizational and business records;
• comply with legal, regulatory, contractual, and professional obligations;
• establish, exercise, or defend legal claims; and
• protect the rights, safety, property, and legitimate interests of AABIP, its members, users, and others.

AABIP will not use personal information for purposes materially inconsistent with those described in this Privacy Policy without providing appropriate notice or obtaining consent when required.

3. Mobile Application Data

AABIP may provide one or more mobile applications in connection with membership, meetings, education, professional resources, or other Services.

Depending on the particular application and the permissions you enable, an AABIP application may process account and profile information, authentication information, device and application information, usage information, notification preferences, and information necessary to provide application functionality.

AABIP will not access device permissions or categories of personal or sensitive data through an application except as reasonably necessary to provide disclosed application functionality or as otherwise permitted by applicable law.

Where an application requests access to a device feature or sensitive permission, additional notice or permission may be presented through the application or operating system.

4. Cookies and Similar Technologies

AABIP and its service providers may use cookies, pixels, analytics technologies, local storage, and similar technologies to operate and improve the Services.

• maintain login sessions;
• remember preferences;
• authenticate users;
• maintain website and application security;
• understand how the Services are used;
• measure website and application performance; and
• improve content, functionality, and user experience.

Your browser or device may permit you to block, delete, or limit certain cookies or similar technologies. Disabling certain technologies may affect the functionality of portions of the Services.

5. When We Disclose Information

AABIP does not sell personal information for monetary consideration.

AABIP may disclose personal information when reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including to the following categories of recipients:

Service Providers

AABIP may provide information to vendors and service providers that perform functions on AABIP's behalf, including membership-management, website hosting, application management, cloud hosting, communications, email distribution, event management, learning-management, payment-processing, analytics, information-technology, security, and professional services.

AABIP seeks to provide such parties only the information reasonably necessary to perform their functions and, where appropriate, requires them to protect information and use it for authorized purposes.

Professional, Educational, Certification, and Organizational Partners

AABIP may disclose limited information to professional organizations, certification or accreditation bodies, educational partners, research partners, or other organizations when reasonably necessary to conduct an AABIP-approved initiative or further AABIP's professional, educational, scientific, certification, or organizational mission.

Where identifiable member information is disclosed for a specific initiative, AABIP may impose contractual confidentiality, use, security, retention, and deletion restrictions appropriate to the nature of the information and the initiative.

At Your Direction or With Your Consent

AABIP may disclose information when you direct us to do so or provide authorization or consent.

Legal and Protective Purposes

AABIP may disclose information when reasonably necessary to comply with applicable law, regulation, legal process, court order, or governmental request; enforce agreements or policies; investigate suspected misconduct; protect the security or integrity of the Services; or protect the rights, property, or safety of AABIP, its members, users, or others.

Organizational Transactions

If AABIP undergoes a reorganization, restructuring, or similar organizational transaction, information may be transferred as reasonably necessary in connection with that transaction, subject to applicable law and appropriate confidentiality protections.

6. Member Information

AABIP recognizes that its membership information is an important organizational resource and that members reasonably expect AABIP to safeguard that information.

AABIP does not make its membership list generally available for unrestricted commercial use. AABIP may, however, use or disclose limited membership information when reasonably necessary to administer AABIP programs or Services, fulfill member requests, work with service providers, or undertake Board-approved professional, educational, research, certification, accreditation, advocacy, or other mission-related initiatives.

Where appropriate, AABIP may use data-use agreements, confidentiality agreements, contractual restrictions, data minimization, or other safeguards to limit the recipient's use and retention of identifiable member information.

7. Data Security

AABIP uses reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, acquisition, use, disclosure, alteration, loss, or destruction.

These safeguards may include access controls, authentication measures, secure transmission methods, vendor-management practices, system protections, and other measures appropriate to the nature and sensitivity of the information.

No method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure. Accordingly, AABIP cannot guarantee absolute security.

Users are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their account credentials and should promptly notify AABIP if they believe an account or credential has been compromised.

8. Data Retention

AABIP retains personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to accomplish the purposes for which it was collected or subsequently authorized, to administer its membership and programs, maintain appropriate organizational and professional records, comply with applicable legal and contractual obligations, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, protect legitimate organizational interests, and maintain security and fraud-prevention records.

• the nature and sensitivity of the information;
• the purposes for which the information was collected or used;
• the duration of an individual's membership or account relationship;
• certification, credentialing, accreditation, educational, or professional recordkeeping requirements;
• transaction, tax, accounting, insurance, and organizational recordkeeping requirements;
• applicable statutes of limitation;
• contractual obligations;
• security, fraud-prevention, and dispute-resolution needs; and
• applicable legal or regulatory requirements.

Some information may therefore be retained after a membership, account, or other relationship with AABIP ends.

Information maintained solely in routine backup or archival systems may remain until overwritten or deleted in accordance with AABIP's or its service providers' ordinary backup and archival schedules. During that period, such information will remain subject to applicable confidentiality and security protections and will not be used for unrelated purposes.

When information is no longer reasonably necessary for an authorized purpose and is not required to be retained, AABIP will take reasonable steps to delete, destroy, de-identify, or anonymize it.

9. Account and Data Deletion

Individuals may request deletion of an AABIP website or mobile application account and personal information associated with that account.

How to Request Deletion

1. through any account-deletion functionality provided within the applicable AABIP mobile application or online account; or
2. through AABIP's designated online deletion-request page or by contacting AABIP using the privacy contact mechanism identified below.

AABIP may take reasonable steps to verify the identity and authority of the person making the request before processing it.

Upon a verified deletion request, AABIP will delete or de-identify personal information associated with the applicable account that AABIP is not required or otherwise permitted to retain.

Deletion of an application or removal of an application from a device does not, by itself, constitute a request to delete an account or associated information.

Information That May Be Retained

• complying with applicable legal, tax, accounting, regulatory, or contractual obligations;
• maintaining certification, credentialing, accreditation, examination, continuing-education, or other professional records;
• documenting membership, transactions, payments, or organizational actions where continued retention is reasonably necessary;
• detecting, investigating, or preventing fraud, abuse, or security incidents;
• establishing, exercising, or defending legal claims;
• enforcing agreements or policies;
• maintaining records necessary to honor an opt-out or deletion request; or
• maintaining information in routine backup or archival systems until deletion occurs through the ordinary retention cycle.

Any information retained following a deletion request will remain subject to applicable confidentiality and security protections and will not be used for unrelated purposes.

AABIP will process verified deletion requests within a reasonable period, subject to applicable law and legitimate retention requirements.

10. Your Choices and Privacy Requests

• access or review certain account information;
• correct or update information;
• change communication preferences;
• unsubscribe from non-essential email communications;
• request deletion of an account or certain personal information; or
• submit questions concerning AABIP's privacy practices.

Members may be able to update certain profile information through their member account.

Unsubscribing from promotional or informational communications will not necessarily prevent AABIP from sending transactional, membership, certification, security, administrative, or other communications necessary to provide requested Services or administer an existing relationship.

AABIP may verify a request before acting upon it and may deny or limit a request where permitted or required by applicable law.

11. Third-Party Websites and Services

The Services may contain links to websites, applications, platforms, or services operated by third parties.

AABIP does not control the privacy practices of independent third parties. Information you provide directly to a third party is governed by that party's privacy policy and practices.

The inclusion of a link or integration does not necessarily constitute AABIP's endorsement of the third party's privacy or security practices.

12. Children's Privacy

AABIP's Services are directed primarily toward physicians, healthcare professionals, trainees, and other adults participating in professional and educational activities and are not directed to children under 13.

AABIP does not knowingly collect personal information online from children under 13 in a manner subject to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act without appropriate authorization. If AABIP learns that such information has been collected improperly, it will take reasonable steps to delete it.

13. International Users

AABIP is based in the United States, and information collected through the Services may be processed and stored in the United States.

Individuals accessing the Services from outside the United States acknowledge that privacy and data-protection laws may differ from those applicable in their jurisdiction. Where applicable law imposes additional requirements regarding the processing or transfer of personal information, AABIP will address those requirements as applicable to its activities.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

AABIP may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in its Services, technology, data practices, legal requirements, or organizational activities.

When material changes are made, AABIP will post the revised Privacy Policy and update the “Last Updated” date above. Where appropriate or required by law, AABIP may provide additional notice.

Continued use of the Services after an updated Privacy Policy becomes effective constitutes acknowledgment of the revised policy to the extent permitted by applicable law.

15. Contact Us and Privacy Requests

Questions concerning this Privacy Policy, AABIP's privacy practices, or requests concerning personal information may be submitted to:

American Association for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (AABIP)
Privacy Contact: [email protected]

Website: www.aabronchology.org

• Member Profile deletion request form
• iPass Mobile App deletion request form

Please include sufficient information for AABIP to understand and appropriately respond to your request. AABIP may request additional information when reasonably necessary to verify identity or determine the account or information involved.