Terms of Use
Last Updated: April 11, 2025
This Terms of Use Agreement (the “Agreement”) is a legal agreement between you and the American Society of Human Genetics (“ASHG,” “we,” or “us”) governing your use of ASHG’s websites and mobile applications, including https://www.ashg.org, and any mobile version, portal, interface, or application used in connection with such websites (referred to collectively, as the “Website”). By using or accessing the Website or downloading materials from the Website, you agree to be legally bound by this Agreement.
Notice of Copyright Infringement
Updates to this Agreement
We may revise or otherwise change or update this Agreement. Please check the “Last Updated” legend at the top of this page to see when this Agreement was last revised. Changes will become effective immediately after they are posted. A current version of this Agreement showing the effective date is always available at this location. We encourage you to periodically review this Agreement to see if there have been any changes that may affect you. If you do not agree to this Agreement as modified, then you must discontinue your use of the Website. Your continued use of the Website will signify your continued agreement to this Agreement as it may be revised from time to time.
Authorized Use
While using the Website, you are required to comply with all applicable statutes, orders, regulations, rules, and other laws. You may not use the Website for any fraudulent or unlawful purpose, and you may not take any action to interfere with the Website or any other user’s use of the Website. In addition, we expect users of the Website to respect the rights and dignity of others. By way of example and not of limitation, you may not (and you expressly agree that you will not) do any of the following, which violate this Agreement:
- Post, upload, share, transmit, distribute, facilitate distribution of or otherwise make available to or through the Website any unlawful, infringing, harmful, harassing, defamatory, threatening, intimidating, fraudulent, tortious, vulgar or otherwise objectionable material of any kind, including unauthorized or unsolicited advertising;
- Reproduce, duplicate, or copy any portion of the Website, except as authorized by this Agreement;
- Sell, resell, or otherwise exploit for any commercial purposes any portion of, the use of or access to the Website without the prior written consent of ASHG;
- Impersonate any person or entity, falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity in connection with the Website, or express or imply that we endorse any statement you make;
- Post or otherwise transmit messages that may tend to restrain trade, or encourage or facilitate an agreement on: prices, discounts, terms or conditions of sale; allocation of markets or territories; or selection, rejection, or termination of business relationships or suppliers;
- Remove any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary rights notice from the Website or materials originating from the Website;
- Violate or attempt to violate the security of the Website;
- Disseminate on the Website any viruses, worms, spyware, adware, or other malicious computer code, file or program that is harmful, invasive or may or is intended to damage or hijack the operation of, or monitor the use of, any hardware, software, or equipment;
- Use any data mining, bots, spiders, automated tools or similar data gathering and extraction methods, directly or indirectly, on the Website or to collect any information from the Website or any other user of the Website; or
- Assist or permit any persons in violating this Agreement or applicable statutes, orders, regulations, rules, and other laws governing the use of the Website.
Intellectual Property Rights
All content (“Content”) available through the Website is protected by copyrights, trademarks, or other proprietary rights and laws. Except as set forth herein or otherwise agreed in writing by ASHG or other rights owner(s), the use of any Content available on the Website is strictly prohibited.
You may use Content purposely made available by us for public use, provided that you (a) keep intact all copyright and other proprietary notices, (b) use such Content pursuant to any associated licenses, (c) do not copy or post such Content on any networked computer or broadcast it in any media, (d) make no modifications to the Content, and (e) do not make any additional representations or warranties relating to the Content on behalf of ASHG.
Any rights not expressly granted herein are reserved.
User-Submitted Information
You are responsible for any Content you transmit through our Website. You agree, represent, and warrant that any Content you transmit through our Website or to us is truthful, accurate, not misleading and offered in good faith, and that you have the right to transmit such Content. You shall not upload, post, or otherwise make available on or through the Website any Content protected by copyright, trademark, or other proprietary right of any third party without the express written permission of the owner of such right(s) or the authority to do so. You shall be solely liable for any damages resulting from any infringement of copyright, trademark, or other proprietary rights, or any other harm resulting from such a submission.
We do not want you to, and you should not, send any confidential or proprietary Content to us unless specifically requested by us. Please note that any unsolicited Content sent to ASHG will be deemed not to be confidential or proprietary.
By submitting Content, other than personally identifiable information, you grant to ASHG (or warrant that the owner of such Content has expressly granted to ASHG) a royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable and unrestricted right and license (a) to use, reproduce, display, modify, adapt, publish, translate, transmit, distribute, or otherwise make available to others such Content (in whole or in part and for any purpose) worldwide and/or to incorporate it in other works in any form, media, or technology now known or hereafter developed; (b) to exercise all copyright, trademark, publicity, privacy and other proprietary rights with regard to such Content; and (c) to use your name, likeness, and/or other biographical information in any and all media and/or communications. You also agree that ASHG is free to use any ideas, concepts, know-how or techniques that you send to us for any purpose.
Secure User Accounts
Certain portions of our Website are accessible only to users who have registered with the Website and obtained login credentials (“Secure Users”). If you are a Secure User, you agree to accurately maintain and update any information about yourself and your account that you have provided to ASHG.
You further agree that you are responsible for all activities that occur under your Secure User account. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and you agree not to share your login credentials with any unauthorized parties. You also agree to notify us promptly of any unauthorized use of your login credentials or any other breach of security that you become aware of involving or relating to the Website.
ASHG reserves the right to take any and all action, as it deems necessary or reasonable to maintain the security of the Website and your account, including without limitation, terminating your account, changing your password or requesting information to authorize transactions on your account.
We explicitly disclaim liability for any and all losses and damages arising from your failure to comply with this section.
Interactive Forums
We may host message boards, chat rooms, blogs, and other interactive forums or services (each, a “Forum”) on the Website. Forums are intended to serve as discussion centers. Any user failing to comply with this Agreement may be expelled from and refused continued access to Forums in the future. You acknowledge and agree that Forums are public spaces and that your participation in such Forums creates no expectation of privacy. Further, you acknowledge that any personal information you communicate in Forums may be seen and used by others. We are not responsible for information that you or others choose to communicate in Forums, or for your actions or the actions of other users. ASHG or its designated agents may remove or alter any information or content posted or otherwise disclosed in any Forum at any time for any reason. IF YOU CHOOSE TO MAKE ANY OF YOUR PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE OR OTHER INFORMATION PUBLICLY AVAILABLE IN A FORUM OR OTHERWISE ON OR THROUGH THE SITES, YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Monitoring
You acknowledge and agree that we reserve the right (but have no obligation) to do one or all of the following, at our sole discretion: (a) evaluate Content before allowing it to be posted on a Website or any Forum; (b) monitor Content; (c) alter, remove, reject, or refuse to post or allow to be posted, without notice to you, any Content, for any reason or for no reason whatsoever; provided, however, that we shall have no obligation or liability to you for failure to do so or for doing so in any particular manner; and/or (d) disclose any Content, and the circumstances surrounding its transmission, to any third party in order to operate the Website; to protect ASHG and the Website’ users and visitors; to comply with legal obligations or governmental requests; to enforce this Agreement; or for any other reason or purpose.
Purchase Terms
ASHG offers memberships, registrations, subscriptions, and other products for sale on our Website. By placing an order or making a purchase through our Website, you represent and warrant that you are legally capable of entering into binding contracts, and that you have the legal right to use any credit or debit card(s) or other payment method(s) in connection with any order, and you agree to ASHG’s collection and retention of personal information including, without limitation, billing and payment information and a valid email address in accordance with and for purposes outlined in our Privacy Policy.
Payment can be made through various payment methods we have available, such as credit/debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express) or other payment methods (check, for example). Payment cards (credit cards or debit cards) are subject to validation checks and authorization by your card issuer. If we do not receive the required authorization, we will not be liable for any delay or non-delivery of your order.
We reserve the right to refuse or cancel your order at any time for certain reasons including, but not limited to: (i) availability; (ii) errors in description or prices; (iii) errors in your order; or (iv) fraud or an unauthorized or illegal transaction is suspected.
ASHG reserves the right to revise its prices at any time prior to accepting an order.
Memberships
In purchasing a membership with ASHG, you represent and warrant that you meet the criteria for membership in the category purchased, and you agree to comply with ASHG’s Bylaws, Code of Ethics, and other policies applicable to members.
Membership is on a calendar year basis from January 1 through December 31. By purchasing a membership, you agree to pay annual dues in full at time of joining or renewing, and you acknowledge and understand that the membership term will expire December 31 of the calendar year specified on the product description. Members can cancel their membership at any time; however, no portion of their membership dues shall be prorated or refunded.
Automatic renewal of your membership dues may occur up to 30 days prior to or after membership expiration (December 31). You may change your membership subscription from automatic to manual renewal at any time through the online account portal. ASHG offers early renewal and new sales of the next calendar year’s membership either during or after the Annual Meeting each fall.
Membership dues are generally non-refundable except in circumstances of unauthorized use of a payment method or purchase of a duplicate membership. You must contact us within 30 days of purchase to request a refund in either of these circumstances. ASHG does not approve refunds after 30 days of membership have passed. Refunds for membership dues will not be issued on the basis that an abstract submission is not accepted.
Subscriptions
By signing up for a subscription, you authorize ASHG to automatically charge the associated payment method for each subsequent subscription period until you cancel the subscription or stop automatic renewal. If you purchase multiple subscriptions (for example, membership and a recurring donation), you may have multiple renewal dates. To cancel or stop automatic renewal of your subscription, visit your online account or contact us as described below.
Event Registrations
By registering for any programs or events, including the ASHG Annual Meeting and any related add-on events, you represent and warrant that you meet any eligibility requirements for attendance, and you agree to comply with ASHG’s policies (for example, Annual Meeting Policies) and Code of Conduct applicable to the event(s).
Annual Meeting registration is refundable minus an administrative processing fee if you request cancellation by the deadline specified within the product description and/or Annual Meeting webpages. Add-ons (ticketed events, CEUs, and any other items at an additional cost) will be refundable only if cancelling meeting registration by the specified date and are not refundable if not cancelling meeting registration. No refunds will be processed after this date.
ASHG will not provide a refund if you are unable to attend due to travel carrier cancellations or other unforeseen incidents beyond ASHG’s control. If you require a visa to attend the Annual Meeting and are unable to obtain one in time for the Annual Meeting, you may request to cancel your registration and receive a full refund until the last day of the Annual Meeting. Administrative processing fees are waived for visa denial/inability to obtain a visa in time. Registrations cannot be transferred to future ASHG Annual Meetings.
Purchases made using incorrect payment/credit cards will be charged an administrative processing fee to change payment and must be completed no later than the cancellation deadline specified on the product description and/or Annual Meeting website. New payments will not be taken until refunds have been fully processed.
Abstract Submission Fees
In submitting an abstract for consideration by ASHG, you agree to comply with any guidelines or rules for content and submission communicated by ASHG. A fee is charged for submission by non-members. The abstract submission fee is non-refundable without exception. Refunds will not be provided if an abstract is rejected, deleted, withdrawn, or for any other reason, including visa denial. Payment will be required for any resubmissions. The fee will not be refunded or reduced if you become an ASHG member after abstract submission.
Other Products and Purchases
All other products and purchases, other than specified above, are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Changes to the Website
We may make improvements and/or changes to the Website, add new features, or terminate the Website at any time without notice. We also: (a) reserve the right (but have no obligation) to change the Content or other offerings on the Website, at any time and from time to time without any notice or liability to you or any other person; and (b) do not warrant that information on the Website is accurate, complete, reliable, current, or error-free. Some jurisdictions may not allow the exclusions and disclaimers of certain implied warranties, so some of the provisions of this section may not apply to you.
Third-Party Content
Any information, statements, opinions, or other Content provided by third parties and made available on our Website are those of the respective author(s) and not ASHG. We do not guarantee the validity, accuracy, truthfulness, completeness, reliability, or usefulness of any information, statement, opinion, or other Content on our Website other than from an authorized ASHG representative acting in his or her official capacity. Under no circumstance will ASHG be liable for any loss or damage caused, directly or indirectly, by your reliance on any such third-party Content.
Links to Third-Party Websites
ASHG may provide on the Website, solely as a convenience to users, links to websites operated by third parties. If you use these links, you will leave our Website. If you decide to visit any linked website, you do so at your own risk and it is your responsibility to take all protective measures to guard against viruses or other destructive elements. ASHG does not make any warranty or representation regarding, or endorse or otherwise sponsor, any linked websites or the information appearing thereon or any of the products or services described thereon. Links do not imply that ASHG is legally authorized to use any trademark, trade name, logo, or copyright symbol displayed in or accessible through the links, or that any linked website is authorized to use any trademark, trade name, logo, or copyright symbol of ASHG.
YOU AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES AND RESOURCES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION YOUR USE OF ANY CONTENT, INFORMATION, DATA, ADVERTISING, PRODUCTS, OR OTHER MATERIALS ON OR AVAILABLE THROUGH SUCH WEBSITES AND RESOURCES, IS AT YOUR OWN RISK AND IS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE APPLICABLE TO SUCH WEBSITES AND RESOURCES.
Social Media Pages
ASHG may maintain a presence on social media websites, including Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter (collectively, Social Media Pages), to provide a place for the public to learn more about ASHG and to share comments. All comments, visuals and other materials posted by visitors to our Social Media Pages do not necessarily reflect the opinions or ideas of ASHG. All visitors to our Social Media Pages must comply with the respective social media website’s Terms of Use. We review some but not all postings to our Social Media Pages and may remove postings that we determine are inappropriate or offensive.
Notice of Copyright Infringement
If you believe that any Content on the Website infringes upon any copyright which you own or control, you may send a written notification, containing the information required under 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3), to our Designated Copyright Agent as set forth below.
Designated Agent: Webmaster
Email: society@ashg.org
If any user of the Website is deemed to be a repeat copyright infringer, ASHG will terminate such user’s license to use the Website.
Other Policies and Terms
This Agreement applies exclusively to your access to, and use of, the Website and does not alter in any way the terms or conditions of any other agreement you may have with ASHG. Additional policies and terms may apply to use of all or portions of the Website and are incorporated by reference into this Agreement. Please refer to and review all additional specific terms and conditions as applicable, including ASHG’s Privacy Policy.
Termination
The Website and this Agreement are in effect until terminated by ASHG. In addition to any right or remedy that may be available to ASHG under applicable law, ASHG may suspend, limit, or terminate all or a portion of your access to the Website or any of its features at any time with or without notice and with or without cause, including without limitation, if ASHG believes that you have violated or acted inconsistently with the letter or spirit of this Agreement. The provisions of this Agreement concerning authorized use, intellectual property rights, disclaimer of warranty, limitation of liability and indemnity, as well as any other provisions that by their nature should survive, shall survive any such termination.
You agree that if your use of the Website is terminated pursuant to this Agreement, you will not attempt to use the Website under any name, real or assumed. You further agree that if you violate this restriction after your use of the Website is terminated, you will indemnify and hold us harmless from any and all liability that we may incur therefor. We reserve the right to have all violators prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Children
You may use the Website only if you can legally form a binding contract with us. The Website is therefore accessible to those 18 years of age (or the age of majority in their jurisdiction) and older, and those whose access is supervised by a parent or guardian of the age of majority, who agrees to be legally bound by this Agreement. By using or accessing the Website, you represent and warrant that you are of the age of majority or are accessing the Website under the supervision of a parent or guardian.
Disclaimer of Warranty
ASHG DOES NOT WARRANT OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE USE, VALIDITY, ACCURACY, RELIABILITY OF, OR OTHERWISE RESPECTING THE CONTENT AVAILABLE ON THE SITES OR ANY OTHER SITES LINKED TO OR FROM THE WEBSITE. DOWNLOADING OR OTHERWISE OBTAINING ANY CONTENT THROUGH THE WEBSITE IS DONE AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE CONTENT OF THE SITES IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND ON AN “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT POSSIBLE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, ASHG DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NONINFRINGEMENT.
Limitation of Liability
ASHG AND EACH OF ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS AND CONTRACTORS (COLLECTIVELY, THE RELEASEES) WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OF ANY KIND ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE WEBSITE, THE WEBSITE’S CONTENT OR LINKS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES CAUSED BY OR RELATED TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, INTERRUPTIONS, DEFECTS, DELAYS IN OPERATION OR TRANSMISSION, COMPUTER VIRUSES OR LINE FAILURES. THE RELEASEES SHALL NOT HAVE ANY LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY ACTS, OMISSIONS OR CONDUCT OF ANY USER OR OTHER THIRD PARTY.
THE RELEASEES WILL ALSO NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF THEY have BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONs MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
Indemnity
You agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless ASHG and its directors, officers, employees, agents, and contractors from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, costs (including without limitation reasonable attorneys’ fees), or other expenses that arise directly or indirectly out of or from (a) your breach of any provision of this Agreement; (b) your activities in connection with the Website; or (c) unsolicited information you provide to ASHG through the Website.
Consent to Communication
If you provide us with a telephone number, address, or email address, you expressly agree that we, or our authorized agents, can use that telephone number, address, or email address to contact you.
When you use the Website or send emails to ASHG, you are communicating with ASHG electronically. You consent to receive electronically any communications related to your use of the Website. We may communicate with you by email or by posting notices on the Website. You agree that all agreements, notices, disclosures, and other communications that are provided to you electronically satisfy any legal requirement that such communications be in writing. All notices from ASHG intended for receipt by a user shall be deemed delivered and effective when sent to the email address you provide on the Website.
Effect of Invalidity
In the event a court having jurisdiction finds any portion of this Agreement unenforceable, that portion shall not be effective, and the remainder of the Agreement shall remain effective.
Waivers
No waiver, express or implied, by either party of any breach of or default under this Agreement will constitute a continuing waiver of such breach or default or be deemed to be a waiver of any preceding or subsequent breach or default.
Jurisdictional Issues
The Website is controlled, operated, and administered by ASHG (or its licensees) from its offices within the United States of America and is not intended to subject ASHG to the laws or jurisdiction of any country or territory other than that of the United States. ASHG DOES NOT REPRESENT OR WARRANT THAT THE WEBSITE OR ANY PART THEREOF IS APPROPRIATE OR AVAILABLE FOR USE IN ANY PARTICULAR JURISDICTION OTHER THAN THE UNITED STATES. Those who choose to access the Website from outside the United States do so on their own initiative and at their own risk, and are responsible for complying with all statutes, orders, regulations, rules, and other laws of applicable jurisdictions.
You agree that any dispute in connection with the Website, this Agreement, or the Privacy Policy will be governed by the laws of the State of Maryland, USA. You also consent to the adjudication of any disputes arising in connection with the Website in courts located in Maryland.
Contact
If you have questions about this Agreement, or if you have technical questions about the operation of the Website, please contact us via email at society@ashg.org or by phone at +1-301-634-7300.