Policy Statements

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) defines requirements for designers and developers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities BrightFocus is partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 level AA. Partially conformant means that some parts of the content do not fully conform to the accessibility standard. We are in the process of redesigning the website to more fully comply with WCAG 2.1 A and AA criteria.

If you have trouble accessing any of our web pages or documents please send an email to info@brightfocus.org or call 1-800-437-2423 and ask for the Web Department; we will make every effort to provide you with the information in an alternative format.

Tips for Computer Users with Low Vision

• https://www.afb.org/blindness-and-low-vision/using-technology/using-computer

Understanding Adobe Acrobat Reader

• www.adobe.com/acrobat/pdf-reader.html
• www.adobe.com/accessibility/products/reader/

Understanding Web Browsers: Font Sizes

• https://www.w3.org/WAI/changedesign

The BrightFocus website does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website, such as text, graphics, images and other material are intended for informational and educational purposes only and not for the purpose of rendering medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Although we take efforts to keep the medical information on our website updated, we cannot guarantee that the information on our website reflects the most up-to-date research.

Please consult your physician for personalized medical advice. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition. Never disregard or delay seeking professional medical advice or treatment because of something you have read on the BrightFocus website.

Before taking any medications, over-the-counter drugs, supplements or herbs, consult a physician for a thorough evaluation. BrightFocus does not endorse any medications, vitamins or herbs. A qualified physician should make a decision based on each person’s medical history and current prescriptions. The medication summaries provided do not include all of the information important for patient use and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. The prescribing physician should be consulted concerning any questions that you have.

In a medical emergency call 911 immediately. BrightFocus does not recommend or endorse any specific test, physician, product, procedure, opinion or any other information provided on its website. Reliance on any information provided by BrightFocus, BrightFocus employees, others represented on the website by BrightFocus’ invitation or other visitors to the website, is solely at your own risk.

BrightFocus Foundation receives its funding primarily from donations and not from advertising or government sources. It is, however, the policy of BrightFocus to acknowledge financial or in-kind sponsorship of BrightFocus programs by foundations, governmental entities, or corporations, and it may infrequently allow for the advertisement of materials that are consistent with and related to the charitable purposes of BrightFocus. BrightFocus’ public acknowledgement of such sponsorship is done by display of the sponsor’s logo, slogan, general website address, and/or description of materials or services on the BrightFocus website consistent with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Service of the United States of America. All such displays are clearly identified as related to the acknowledgement of a prior or ongoing sponsorship. All BrightFocus communications of sponsor’s information are provided only as a convenience to recipients of the BrightFocus communication and shall not include editorial content. These communications are limited in scope to content that would reasonably allow a recipient of BrightFocus’ communications to understand the name and nature of the sponsoring organization as well as its relationship to BrightFocus and its programs.

BrightFocus does not endorse any product or service provided by a sponsor. In cases where BrightFocus links to the website of the sponsor, it must be understood that BrightFocus does not regulate the content of the sponsor’s website and assumes no responsibility or liability for any claims or endorsements made on or linked to from the sponsor’s website. Advertisers and sponsors must not make unsubstantiated health claims or suggest that BrightFocus has endorsed a product or service. BrightFocus does not provide banner advertising or pop-up window advertising. Any links to another’s site is provided with an indication of that sponsor information as a web-link.

BrightFocus maintains a distinct separation between editorial and advertising content. Sponsors do not contribute to or influence the health information or any other content of the BrightFocus website or any BrightFocus communication. Editorial content originates from an external entity or source is clearly identified by the primary affiliation of the author.

Any information given to sponsors by BrightFocus is bound by the BrightFocus Privacy Statement.

BrightFocus reserves the right to edit and change this policy without notice.

BrightFocus Foundation supports scientific research on the causes of Alzheimer’s disease, glaucoma, and macular degeneration, three devastating diseases. Some of the research we fund involves the use of laboratory animals. While we understand the public’s concerns about laboratory animal welfare, we strongly believe that animal research is crucial to our goal of eliminating these health threats.

BrightFocus Foundation has reviewed the issue of research on animals very carefully, and we are firmly committed to the humane care and treatment of laboratory animals. We make every effort to assure that the laboratory animals used in the research we fund are treated humanely, that the research is of the highest quality and is likely to provide important answers, and that the number of animals used in the research is as small as possible. While we encourage our researchers to look for alternatives to the use of animals in their research, we recognize that studies of complex living systems cannot always be done on a computer or in a test tube.

BrightFocus Foundation requires researchers who propose to use animals in research funded by BrightFocus to certify that the care, handling, and use of those animals will meet or exceed federal and state animal welfare regulations and standards. Proposals for research involving animals must be approved by the applicant institution’s animal care and use committee (IACUC) before funding begins, and the research must be performed at an institution that has a current animal welfare assurance on file with the Public Health Service Office for Protection from Research Risks. This assures that all of the animal research we fund is carefully reviewed by veterinarians and other experts to assure that animal distress will be minimized, that the research does not unnecessarily repeat experiments that have already been performed elsewhere, and that the animals are housed and handled according to the USDA regulations on laboratory animal health and welfare.

BrightFocus strongly encourages applicant researchers to consider the “three R’s” of animal welfare when developing their research plan: reduction in the number of animals to be used, replacement of animals by other methods whenever possible, and refinement of techniques to minimize distress to animals used in research.

BrightFocus Foundation may choose to maintain blogs and message boards for users seeking to share experiences, knowledge and helpful information related to Alzheimer’s disease, macular degeneration and glaucoma. The blogs and message boards are not intended for the purposes of obtaining or rendering medical advice. To obtain medical advice, you should consult a physician. BrightFocus does not endorse any medication, product, equipment or treatment discussed on the blogs and message boards.

The BrightFocus User Agreement and Terms of Use provides detailed guidelines for user conduct and is incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof. The Blog/Message Board Policy may be revised at any time without prior notice. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are using the blogs and message boards in accordance with the BrightFocus User Agreement and Terms of Use and the Blog/Message Board Policy.

We encourage an open and honest exchange of ideas and expect all users of the blogs and message boards to respect the rights of others. By using the blogs and message boards, you agree to abide by the following rules, guidelines, and policies (collectively “Policies”) If you do not wish to abide by the Policies, immediately cease use of the blogs and message boards. Your continued use of this blogs and message boards constitutes your acceptance of the Policies.

• Practice civility and courtesies in your communications. Although disagreements may arise from time to time, be respectful of your fellow BrightFocus blog and message board participants.
• Exercise caution when posting personal information on the BrightFocus blogs and message boards. These messages can be viewed by the general public. If you choose to post any personal information, you do so at your own risk. BrightFocus shall have no liability whatsoever of any kind attributable to your posting of personal information or your posting of personal information of others.
• Do not post anything illegal, defamatory, false, inaccurate, abusive, harmful, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, overtly offensive, invasive of a person’s privacy, or otherwise objectionable on the BrightFocus blogs and message boards. BrightFocus reserves the right at its discretion to determine whether any posting is in violation hereof and to prohibit your access to the blogs and message boards as a result.
• You agree to be solely responsible for any claim based on your message(s).
• You agree to hold harmless and defend BrightFocus in the event of any claim based, arising out of or attributable to a message posted on the BrightFocus blogs and message boards by you.
• Do not spam. You agree to not post messages that advertise or promote the buying, selling or trading of any product, service or item.
• You agree to not post messages containing personal advertisements, such as want ads, personal items or events.
• You agree to read and abide by the User Agreement and Terms of Use.

BrightFocus expressly reserves the right to suspend blog and message board privileges of anyone who violates the Policies. BrightFocus expressly reserves the right to remove any posting that violates the Policies. Messages on the blogs and message boards are monitored and will be manually removed as soon as possible if deemed by BrightFocus to be in violation of the Policies.

Posted messages contain the views of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of BrightFocus.

If you have any questions about the Blog/Message Board Policy or to report problems or offensive posts, please email info@brightfocus.org so that BrightFocus can take appropriate action.

Messages remain on the boards and are not archived. In the future, the number of messages that remain on the board may be adjusted, depending on the number of posted messages at any one time and their relevancy.

Introduction

Our website uses cookies. Insofar as those cookies are not strictly necessary for the provision of BrightFocus Foundation’s website and services we will ask you to consent to our use of cookies when you first visit the site. View the BrightFocus Foundation privacy policy.

About Cookies

A cookie is a file containing an identifier (a string of letters and numbers) that is sent by a web server to a web browser and is stored by the browser. The identifier is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server.

Cookies may be either “persistent” cookies or “session” cookies: a persistent cookie will be stored by a web browser and will remain valid until its set expiration date, unless deleted by the user before that date; a session cookie, on the other hand, will expire at the end of the user session, when the web browser is closed.

Cookies do not typically contain any information that personally identifies a user, but personal information that we store about you may be linked to the information stored in and obtained from cookies.

Cookies That We Use

Cookies can be used to recognize you when you visit BrightFocus Foundation, remember your preferences, and give you a personalized experience that’s in line with your settings. Cookies also make your interactions with the site faster and more secure. Additionally, cookies allow us to bring you advertising both on and off the BrightFocus Foundation, and bring customized features to you through plugins such as our “Share” button.

Cookie Categories and Description

• Authentication: If you’re signed in to BrightFocus Foundation, cookies help us show you the right information and personalize your experience.
• Security: We use cookies to enable and support our security features, and to help us detect malicious activity and violations of our Website Terms of Use.
• Preferences, features and services: Cookies can tell us which language you prefer and what your communications preferences are. They can help you fill out BrightFocus forms more easily. They also provide you with features, insights, and customized content in conjunction with our plugins. You can learn more about plugins in our Privacy Policy.
• Advertising: We may use cookies to show you relevant advertising both on and off the BrightFocus Foundation site. We may also use a cookie to learn whether someone who saw an ad later visited and took an action (e.g. downloaded a white paper or made a purchase) on the advertiser’s site. Similarly, our partners may use a cookie to determine whether we’ve shown an ad and how it performed, or provide us with information about how you interact with ads.
• Performance, Analytics and Research: Cookies help us learn how well our site and plugins perform in different locations. We also use cookies to understand, improve, and research products, features, and services, including when you access BrightFocus Foundation from other websites, applications, or devices such as your work computer or your mobile device. We only share the information obtained through the use of Google Analytics with Google. For more information on Google’s use of your information, please see Types of Cookies Used by Google. The cookies we use for these purposes do not track your Internet usage after leaving our website and do not store your personal information. They will not be used in connection with any other information to identify you in any way.

Our service providers use cookies and those cookies may be stored on your computer when you visit our website.

AddThis

We use AddThis to enable visitors to share content with a range of networking and sharing platforms. View AddThis’ privacy policy.

Advertising Services

We use a variety of services to allow us to serve relevant advertising to our users and to report on campaign performance, including Google/DoubleClick, NextRoll, Facebook  Advertising, Bing, and Yahoo.

• View Bing’s policies
• View Facebook’s policies
• View Google’s policies (including DoubleClick)
• View NextRoll’s policies
• View X (formerly Twitter)’s policies
• View Yahoo’s policies

Some advertising platforms place their own third-party cookies to optimize your experience. See privacy policies for:

• AdForm
• AffectTV (now known as HybridTheory)
• AppNexus
• BidSwitch
• BlueKai
• FeedWind
• LiveRamp
• New Relic
• OpenX
• Outbrain
• Permutive
• PubMatic
• Rubicon Project
• Semasio
• ShareThrough
• StackAdapt
• Tapad
• The Trade Desk
• Tower Data
• Yandex
• Zendesk

Antidote

We use Antidote to power a widget that allows our site visitors to search for clinical trials. View Antidote’s privacy policy.

CharityEngine

We work with Charity Engine, a product of BISGlobal, to manage our email marketing program, collect voluntary information from our supporters, and process donations. View BISGlobal’s privacy policy.

Crescendo

We work with Crescendo to maintain information on our website about planned giving. View Crescendo’s privacy policy.

Discover

Discover uses cookies during online transactions. View Discover’s privacy policy.

Double the Donation

We use Double the Donation to allow donors to look up whether their workplace offers matching gifts. Visit Double the Donation’s website.

EventBrite

This cookie is associated with Eventbrite and is used to deliver content tailored to the end user’s interests and improve content creation. This cookie is also used for the Antidote clinical trial widget. View the EventBrite privacy policy.

Google Products

We use Google products including Google Analytics, Google Optimize, and Google Tag Manager for digital marketing purposes and for evaluating the effectiveness of our website.  In addition, we use YouTube (owned by Google) to show videos on our website. View Google’s privacy policy.

Guidestar (by Candid)

Guidestar provides complete, up-to-date nonprofit data available to the public. View Guidestar’s privacy policy.

HotJar

We use HotJar to measure interactions on our website. View HotJar’s privacy policy.

IAB Europe Transparency & Consent Framework

The IAB Europe Transparency & Consent Framework stores the user’s consent regarding data collection. View the IAB Europe Transparency & Consent Framework’s privacy policy.

NeuroCareLive

NeuroCareLive is online education platform dedicated to improving the health outcome and quality of life for people diagnosed with neurological disorders. View NeuroCareLive’s privacy policy.

Microsoft ASP.net

Microsoft employs a general purpose platform session cookie that is used by sites written with Miscrosoft.NET based technologies. View Microsoft’s privacy policy.

OneTrust

OneTrust provides the cookie banner (using the Optanon cookie). The banner is required by GDPR law. View OneTrust’s privacy policy.

PayPal

PayPal uses cookies for online payments. View PayPal’s privacy policy.

Rendia

We use Rendia to provide educational videos on our website. View Rendia’s privacy policy.

SiteImprove

SiteImprove enables site owners to gather information about their websites, including broken links, spelling errors, and issues related to accessibility, for example. View SiteImprove’s privacy policy.

Unsplash

Unsplash is a source of freely usable images and use cookies to track the use of their images. View Unsplash’s privacy policy.

From time to time, we may use different cookies to track website usage, protect ourselves from fraud, or display ads. You can check these cookies at any time via your browser.

Disabling Cookies

If you wish, you can usually adjust your browser so that your computer does not accept cookies:

1. Go to the heading “Manage Cookies” and click onto the option you prefer, either stopping cookies being installed, or notifying you of them;
2. From the list provided, click onto the program which your computer uses; if this is not shown on the list, click on the “help” heading on the bar at the top of this page, search for information on “cookies” − an explanation of how to delete cookies will appear, then follow the instructions.

Alternatively, you can adjust your browser to tell you when a website tries to put a cookie on your computer.

How you adjust your browser to stop it accepting cookies or to notify you of them, will depend on the type of internet browser program your computer uses. You can follow the appropriate instructions for your specific browser type by clicking on the links below (please note that this link will open a new window and will lead to an external website and that we are not responsible for the content of external websites).

How to Disable Third-Party Cookies

Users based in the European Union can opt out of these third-party cookies. This website is not connected to us and we are not responsible for its content. We only keep cookies for the duration of your visit to our Site, except in the case of cookies which remember you for future visits or where you save your login name as referred to above.

Most browsers allow you to refuse to accept cookies and to delete cookies. The methods for doing so vary from browser to browser, and from version to version. You can however obtain up-to-date information about blocking and deleting cookies via these links:

• Edge
• Chrome
• Firefox
• Internet Explorer
• Opera
• Safari

To find out how to see what cookies have been set and how to manage and delete them, visit www.allaboutcookies.org, or www.aboutcookies.org.

Blocking all cookies will have a negative impact upon the usability of many websites, and you will not be able to use all the features on our website.

This website is owned and operated by BrightFocus Foundation. Our address is:

22512 Gateway Center Drive
Clarksburg, MD, 20817

You can contact us:

• by mail, at the postal address given above;
• by telephone, at 1-800-437-2423; or
• by email, at info@brightfocus.org.

The following agreement shall govern the relationship of the BrightFocus Foundation (“BrightFocus”) to Intellectual Property interests arising from research conducted under the following award:

BrightFocus Foundation (“BrightFocus”) has designed its Intellectual Policy to be consistent with our over-riding goals, that is, to maximize the dissemination of science to the public and to the commercial sector, and to encourage the efficient flow of research funds to investigators. Consistent with these goals, we seek a reasonable share in the financial returns obtained when research we have funded becomes a commercial success. One hundred percent of any such financial returns are re-invested by BrightFocus into future scientific research and education.

BrightFocus attempts to minimize the transaction costs associated with each award, so that a greater share of each philanthropy dollar can be devoted to scientific research. To that end, we have redesigned the structure of our contract to reflect issues that have been raised in the past by Grantee Institutions. We have also tried to structure our contract provisions to anticipate the concerns of our Grantee Institutions, especially regarding the restrictions they are under when having to comply with the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980.

Notice to Contributors

Many states require charities that solicit funds from the public to register with the state agency regulating charities. BrightFocus Foundation is registered in every jurisdiction where it is required. Although our financial report is always sent free to anyone requesting a copy, certain states require us to advise you that a copy of our financial report is also available from them. If you desire a copy of our financial report you may write to:

BrightFocus Foundation
22512 Gateway Center Drive
Clarksburg, Maryland 20871

or

New York State, A copy of the latest annual report can be obtained from BrightFocus Foundation or New York State. Office of the Attorney General, Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway. New York, New York 10271.

Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Division of Consumer Affairs. P.O. Box 1163. Richmond. VA 23209.
State of Arizona, Office of Secretary of State. Toll-Free 1-800-458-5842.

State of New Jersey, INFORMATION FILED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCERNING THIS CHARITABLE SOLICITATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY BY CALLING 973-504-6215. REGISTRATION WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT.

Michigan #MICS 9502-1091

State of Maryland, FOR THE COST OF POSTAGE AND COPYING. DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION FILED UNDER THE MARYLAND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION LAWS CAN BE OBTAINED FROM: Office of Secretary of Stale. Charitable Division. State House. Annapolis, MD 21401

State of Pennsylvania, “The official registration and financial information of BrightFocus Foundation may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania. 1 -800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.”

State of Washington. Office of Secretary of State, Charities Division. Olympia, WA 98504-0422, Washington residents call Toll Free 1-800-332-4483.

Utah #C-443/STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA, “West Virginia Residents may obtain a summary of the registration and financial documents from the Secretary of State, State Capitol. Charleston. WV 25305. Registration does not imply endorsement. ”

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, FINANCIAL INFORMATION ABOUT TH1S ORGANIZATION AND A COPY OF ITS LICENSE ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE STATE SOLICITATION LICENSING BRANCH AT (919) 807-2214. THE LICENSE IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT BY THE STATE.

STATE OF FLORIDA #SC-00609. “A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE, WITHIN THE STATE, l-800-HELP-FLA. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.’

Registration does not imply endorsement.