Terms of Use

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health hosts discussion forums and blogs/diaries for registered users to discuss lupus and lupus-related issues. It is part of the Federal government's commitment to ensuring that all users are active and informed participants in discussions about health-related issues. We encourage you to share your comments, ideas, and concerns.

For the benefit of robust discussion, we ask that comments remain on-topic.

This is a moderated online space. We expect that participants will treat each other with respect. We reserve the right to reject any entries posted to the site or to remove them after posting if necessary. We will not post entries that--

  • Contain vulgar language, personal attacks of any kind, or offensive terms that target specific individuals or groups.
  • Are clearly off-topic or promote services or products.
  • Make unsupported accusations.
  • Include personally identifiable information (including, but not limited to, address, e-mail address, and phone number). (This is to protect your own privacy and the privacy of others)
  • Contain copyrighted material.

We do not automatically notify the author if an entry has been rejected. If your entry has been removed, you may contact us, or you may review these Terms of Use and submit a new posting.

Please keep in mind that our discussion forum is not a substitute for medical advice. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health will not verify the medical accuracy of any information shared within the Community section, nor will they be held liable for any actions or reactions resulting from following the information shared.

Our discussion forum is not a replacement for therapy or other professional counseling services. Our forums are for discussion and support, and are not equipped to resolve crisis situations. If you are experiencing a crisis or need help urgently, call 911, another emergency hotline, or seek emergency or other professional help immediately. If you are suicidal, or afraid you may become suicidal, seek help immediately. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). It is toll-free and available 24 hours a day, every day. Otherwise, call 911 or go to the emergency room — suicidal thoughts are an emergency.

We recognize that the web is a 24/7 medium, and your comments are welcome at any time. However, given the need to manage Federal resources effectively, moderating and posting comments will occur during regular business hours (9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday). Comments submitted after hours or on weekends or holidays will be read and posted as early as possible the next business day.

Reporters are asked to send questions to the HHS Media Office through their normal channels and to refrain from submitting questions here as comments. Reporter questions will not be posted.