Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how South African Association for Pain Management and Burn (SAAPMB) collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information when you use our Congress 2025 website and services.

We are committed to ensuring the privacy and security of your personal information and to complying with applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of information:

2.1. Personal Information

• Contact information (name, email address, phone number, organization)
• Professional information (specialty, credentials, institution)
• Registration and payment information for events
• Information you provide in forms, surveys, or correspondence

2.2. Usage Information

• Device information (browser type, operating system, IP address)
• Browsing behavior (pages visited, time spent, links clicked)
• Location information
• Cookies and similar technologies

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

• To provide and improve our services
• To process event registrations and payments
• To communicate with you about events, updates, and services
• To personalize your experience on our website
• To analyze usage patterns and improve our website
• To comply with legal obligations

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:

• Consent: When you have explicitly agreed to the processing of your data
• Contract: When processing is necessary for the performance of a contract with you
• Legitimate Interests: When we have a legitimate business interest to process your data
• Legal Obligation: When we need to comply with a legal requirement

5. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, analyze usage patterns, and deliver personalized content. You can control your cookie preferences through our Cookie Consent banner.

We use the following types of cookies:

• Necessary cookies: Essential for the functioning of the website
• Functional cookies: Enable personalized features and preferences
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website
• Marketing cookies: Used to track visitors across websites for advertising purposes

You can modify your cookie preferences at any time by clicking the "Cookie Settings" button at the bottom of our website.

6. Data Sharing and Transfers

We may share your information with:

• Service providers who perform services on our behalf
• Event partners for registration and coordination purposes
• Third parties when required by law or to protect our rights

When we transfer data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information, in compliance with applicable data protection laws.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, to comply with legal obligations, or to protect our legitimate interests. When your data is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymize it.

8. Your Rights

Under applicable data protection laws, you have the following rights:

• Right to access your personal information
• Right to rectify inaccurate or incomplete information
• Right to erasure (right to be forgotten)
• Right to restrict processing of your data
• Right to data portability
• Right to object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Right to withdraw consent at any time
• Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the "Contact Us" section.

9. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, loss, or alteration. These measures include encryption, secure servers, regular security assessments, and staff training on data protection.

10. Children's Privacy

Our website and services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.

11. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting a notice on our website or by other appropriate means. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact our Data Protection Officer: