1. The Terms and Conditions

a.       Please read these terms and conditions carefully as they apply to your use of this Internet site (Site). By using this Site you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.

b.       We technically operate the Site. However, we exercise no editorial control over much of the Content on the Site and in many cases other persons provide the Content on the Site or other Internet sites you may view or access through the Site (Third Party Providers).

c.      We may revise these terms and conditions from time to time by updating this posting. The revised terms will take effect when they are posted.

2. Registration

a.      You may be required to join Hong Kong Institute of Medical Laboratory Sciences Ltd. (HKIMLS) or Hong Kong Institute of Medical Laboratory Sciences Ltd. Quality Assurance Programme (HKIMLSQAP) in order to access certain parts of the Site (Sub-Site). Where you are required to login:

i.             you must safeguard any user name and password which we provide to you; and

ii.           you authorise us to assume that any person using the Site with your user name and password is either you or is authorised to act for you.

b.      You acknowledge that your use of some Sub-Sites may be governed by additional terms and conditions. Where this is the case, you will be notified accordingly, and those additional terms and conditions:

i.             will apply to your use of such Sub-Site in addition to these terms and conditions; and

ii.           will prevail over these terms and conditions to the extent of any inconsistency.

3. Services

a.      You acknowledge that we may, in our sole discretion and with or without notice:

i.             vary the Site or any Sub-Site (including any Sub-Site for which you are required to register); and

ii.           modify or discontinue this Site, any Sub-Site and the services available on it without notice.

4. Fees

a.           We reserve the right at any time to:

i.             charge fees; and

ii.           to vary or amend the terms and conditions which cover such fees, for access to or use of all or some parts of the Site.

b.           The introduction of charges or amendments to terms and conditions referred to in paragraph 1 will be treated as (at our sole discretion):

i.             amendments to these terms and conditions; or

ii.           the introduction of, or amendments to, terms and conditions which govern a Sub-Site, and you will be notified and bound by those new or amended terms and conditions accordingly.

5. Site Content

a.      You acknowledge that Content on the Site is subject to copyright and possibly other intellectual property rights (Intellectual Property Rights). You are therefore bound by the relevant law and regulation.

b.      You are not granted any Intellectual Property Rights or licence to exercise any Intellectual Property Rights unless this is expressly stated.

6. Your Use of the Site

a.      You must not:

i.             disrupt or interfere with the Site or servers or other software, hardware or equipment connected to or via the Site;

ii.           violate any Applicable Law relating to your use of the Site; or

iii.          collect or store personal data about other users of the Site.

7. Third Party Providers

a.      You acknowledge that:

i.             parts of the Site; and

ii.           parts of the Content are provided or maintained by Third Party Providers and not by us.

b.      Your correspondence or dealings with any Third Party Provider are solely between you and that Third Party Provider, and you agree that we will not be liable or responsible for any loss or damage of any sort incurred as the result of such dealings.

8. Links and Advertisements

a.      We have not reviewed all of the sites linked to this Site and are not responsible for the content or accuracy of any off-site pages or any other sites linked to this Site (including without limitation sites linked through advertisements or through any search engines).

b.      Some links which appear on the Site are automatically generated, and may be offensive or inappropriate to some people. The inclusion of any link does not imply that we endorse the linked site, and you use the links at your own risk.

c.      Your correspondence or dealings with, or participation in promotions of, advertisers on the Site are solely between you and such advertisers.

d.      We will not be liable or responsible for any loss or damage of any sort incurred as the result of any such dealings or as the result of the presence of advertisements on the Site.

9. Personal Data and Cookies

a.      In using the Site you may give us "personal data" as defined in the Personal Data Privacy Ordinance (PDPO). You have certain rights in this personal data. By using this Site you grant us the consent to use your personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

b.      During your use of the Site, we may issue to and request from your computer blocks of data known as "cookies". You must not alter any cookies sent to your computer from the Site and you must ensure that your computer sends correct and accurate cookies in response to any relevant request from the Site.

10. The Use of the Site Is At Your Risk

a.      You use the Site at your risk. You must evaluate, and bear all risks associated with, the use of any Content, including reliance on the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any Content. In particular, where information relating to companies, investments or securities is provided on or via the Site, such information is provided for information purposes only. You should seek your own independent advice with respect to any Content.

b.      We endeavour to provide a convenient and functional Site, but we do not guarantee that the Content will be error free or that the Site or the server that operates it are free of viruses or other harmful components.

c.      Although we will use reasonable endeavours to maintain the Content, we do not undertake to provide support or maintenance services for the Content. We urge you to keep backup copies of Content you Post to, maintain on or use with the Site.

d.      If your use of the Site results in the need for servicing or replacing property, material, equipment or data, we will not be responsible for such costs.

e.      Without limiting the above provisions, everything on the Site is provided to you "as is" and "as available" without warranty or condition of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. We exclude all representations and warranties to the fullest extent permissible under any Applicable Law.

f.         If a jurisdiction does not allow the exclusion of implied warranties in accordance with paragraph 10.e but allows limitations of a certain maximum extent then we limit our warranties to that extent.

11. Limitation of Liability

a.      To the extent permitted by law our aggregate liability to you, whether for breach of these terms or in negligence or in any other tort or for any other common law or statutory cause of action arising in relation to these terms, the Site or the Content is limited to one hundred (in numeric, 100) Hong Kong dollars.

b.      To the extent permitted by law no party involved in creating, producing, or delivering the Site or any Content will be liable for any direct, incidental, consequential or indirect damages, loss or corruption of data, loss of profits, goodwill, bargain or opportunity or loss of anticipated savings resulting from your access to, or use of, or inability to use the Site and the Content, whether based on warranty, contract, tort, negligence or any other legal theory, and whether or not we know of the possibility of such damage.

c.      If a jurisdiction does not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability in accordance with paragraph 11.a or 11.b but allows a limitation of a certain maximum extent then our liability is limited to that extent.

12. Cancellation

a.      We may cancel your registration without notice if you have redrawn your HKIMLS membership or terminated your participation in HKIMLSQAP, or if we reasonably believe that you have violated any Applicable Laws, acted inconsistently with the letter or spirit of this agreement, or have violated our rights or those of another party.

b.      When your registration is cancelled, you may no longer have access to Content that is solely for HKMTA members and/or HKMTAQAP participants.

c.      The provisions of these terms and conditions entitled "Use of the Site is at Your Risk", "Limitation of Liability," and "General Provisions" will survive until cancellation of your registration or termination of this agreement.

13. Notices

a.      We will give you any necessary notices by posting them on the Site. You agree:

i.             to check the Site for notices; and

ii.           that you will be considered to have received a notice when it is made available to you by posting on the Site.

14. General Provisions

a.      If any part of this agreement is held to be unenforceable, the unenforceable part shall be given effect to the greatest extent possible and the remainder will remain in full force and effect.

b.      This agreement will be governed by the laws of Hong Kong. You irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Hong Kong.

c.      You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless us, our officers, directors, employees and agents, from and against any claims, actions or demands, including without limitation reasonable legal and accounting fees, alleging or resulting from your use of the Site or the Content or your breach of this agreement.

15. Definitions

Applicable Law in relation to any person, action or thing means the following in relation to that person, action or thing:

a.      any law, rule or regulation of any country (or political sub-division of a country);

b.      any obligation under any licence in any country (or political sub-division of a country); and

c.     any lawful and binding determination, decision or direction of a regulator in any country (or political sub-division of a country).

Content includes things that you may see, read, hear, download or access on or via the Site (including but not limited to messages, files, data, software, images, photographs, illustrations, text and other materials).

Related laws, policies and regulations may include but not limit to the follows:

a.      Telecommunication Ordinance regarding unauthorized access to a computer.

b.      Crimes Ordinance regarding damaging computer files and data.

c.      Theft Ordinance regarding misuses of computers.

d.      Copyright laws regarding the use and distribution of software.

We or us means HKIMLS, HKIMLSQAP, and the affiliated Committees, Subcommittees and Working Groups.

Last updated on 12 May 2004