This Privacy Policy explains how Istanbul Stem Cells ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, stores, and protects personal information and medical information shared through this website, our consultation form, email, messaging applications, and other consultation channels.
Scope of this policy
This policy applies to information shared by prospective patients, patients, parents, legal guardians, companions, and other individuals who contact us through this website or related consultation channels. It applies both to general contact information and to sensitive health-related information voluntarily submitted for case review.
Categories of information we collect
We may collect identity and contact information such as your full name, email address, telephone number, country of residence, and travel-planning details; enquiry information such as treatment interests, goals, and preferred communication language; health-related information you choose to share, including diagnoses, symptoms, medications, reports, imaging, laboratory results, and treatment history; and technical information such as approximate location, device/browser information, IP-associated logs, submission timestamps, and records necessary to maintain site security and document communications.
Sensitive medical information
If you submit medical records, imaging, laboratory results, developmental reports, medication lists, or other health-related information, you expressly authorize us to review and use that information for consultation, case evaluation, treatment-planning discussion, coordination, follow-up, patient safety review, and related administrative handling. If you submit information about another person, including a child, you represent that you are authorized to do so.
How we use information
We use the information you provide to respond to enquiries, evaluate whether a program may be appropriate, prepare quotations or treatment proposals, coordinate consultations, schedule services, communicate before and after travel, maintain records of communications and approvals, improve patient support operations, protect against fraud or misuse, and comply with legal, regulatory, medical, tax, and record-keeping obligations.
Lawful handling and consent
Where applicable under privacy law, we process ordinary personal data because it is necessary to respond to your request, take steps at your request before any service is booked, perform contractual or pre-contractual obligations, comply with legal obligations, protect legitimate business and patient-safety interests, and, for special-category health data, because you have clearly chosen to provide that information for medical review, consultation, and coordination purposes.
Files and documents you upload
Reports, MRI scans, laboratory results, specialist letters, and other documents uploaded through our website or sent through consultation channels are treated as confidential case materials. They are accessed only by team members, physicians, coordinators, contractors, or service providers who reasonably need access for case review, scheduling, support, compliance, technical operations, or dispute documentation.
How we share information
We do not sell personal information. We may share information only as necessary with physicians, clinics, hospitals, laboratories, interpreters, coordinators, secure communication providers, hosting or technical providers, payment processors, professional advisers, or legal/regulatory authorities where disclosure is necessary to respond to your request, coordinate services, operate the website, protect rights and safety, prevent fraud, resolve disputes, or comply with law.
International communications and transfers
Because we work with international patients and families, your information may be viewed, transmitted, or processed across borders in connection with consultation, coordination, travel planning, and support. By submitting your information, you understand that cross-border communication and processing may occur to the extent reasonably necessary for these purposes.
Retention of records
We retain personal, medical, administrative, and communication records only for as long as reasonably necessary for enquiry handling, scheduling, patient support, legal compliance, fraud prevention, accounting, tax, medical documentation, complaint handling, and dispute or chargeback defense. Retention periods may differ depending on the sensitivity of the information and the legal or operational purpose involved.
Security and confidentiality
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures appropriate to the nature of the information we receive. However, no website, email channel, cloud platform, or transmission method can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You should avoid sending information through unsecured channels unless you accept that residual risk.
Marketing communications
We may contact you in response to your enquiry and in connection with consultation, scheduling, follow-up, and service coordination. We do not send unrelated promotional messages merely because you visited the site. If you no longer wish to receive non-essential communications from us, you may ask us to stop at any time.
Children and guardian submissions
Our services may be discussed in relation to paediatric patients, including autism-related enquiries. We do not knowingly invite children to submit their own information independently through this website. Information about minors should be submitted only by a parent, legal guardian, or other authorized adult.
Payment, fraud, and dispute records
Where a payment, deposit, scheduling fee, or administrative fee is involved, we may retain records relevant to authorization, invoicing, consent, communications, scheduling activity, service delivery, and dispute resolution. This may include copies of policy acknowledgements, timestamps, invoices, signed forms, correspondence, and technical logs reasonably necessary to prevent fraud and respond to payment disputes or chargebacks.
Your rights
Subject to applicable law, you may request access to your personal information, correction of inaccurate information, deletion where appropriate, or information about how your data has been handled. Some requests may be limited where retention is required for legal, medical, fraud-prevention, accounting, or dispute-defense purposes.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect operational, legal, technical, or regulatory changes. The version published on this website is the current version. Continued use of the site or continued communication with us after an update means the updated policy will apply going forward.
Contact
For privacy-related questions or requests, please contact us through our consultation form or our published contact channels. Please do not send unnecessary sensitive information through insecure public channels.
Please also review our Terms of Service and Medical Disclaimer.
Last updated: 2026.