Research Spotlight

Man looking through microscrope.

The NINDS is the nation's primary supporter of biomedical research on the brain and nervous system. It is dedicated to research and education on the causes, treatment, and prevention of stroke.


View Research Programs »

Know Stroke Home »

NINDS Website Privacy Statement

NINDS is a part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Please visit the HHS website for detailed information regarding the department's privacy policy.

The following summarizes how NINDS will use information we gather about you from your visit to our website. The privacy of our visitors is of utmost importance.

Information Automatically Collected and Stored:

When you browse through any web site, certain personal information about you can be collected. We automatically collect and temporarily store the following information about your visit:
  • the name of the domain you use to access the Internet (for example, aol.com, if you are using an American Online account, or stanford.edu, if you are connecting from Stanford University's domain);
  • the date and time of your visit;
  • the pages you visited; and
  • the address of the web site you came from when you came to visit.
We use this information for statistical purposes and to help us make our site more useful to visitors. Unless it is specifically stated otherwise, no additional information will be collected about you.

Personally Provided Information:

You do not have to give us personal information to visit our web sites.
If you choose to provide us with additional information about yourself through an e-mail message, form, survey, etc., we may store the names, addresses, and other information you provide in order to respond to the request or to otherwise resolve the subject matter of your E-mail. This information has never been used for any other purpose than to respond to your request.
However, all communications addressed to NINDS staff or the NINDS Webmaster are maintained, as required by law, for historical purposes. These communications are protected by the Privacy Act which restricts our use of them, yet permits certain disclosures.
(NOTE: For information on Medical Privacy, please go to http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/ .)

Intrusion Detection:

This site is maintained by the U.S. Government. It is protected by various provisions of Title 18, U.S. Code. Violations of Title 18 are subject to criminal prosecution in federal court.
For site security purposes and to ensure that this service remains available to all users, we employ software programs to monitor traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. In the event of authorized law enforcement investigations, and pursuant to any required legal process, information from these sources may be used to help identify an individual.

Systems of Records:

Information originally collected in traditional paper systems can be submitted electronically, i.e., electronic commerce transactions and information updates about funding opportunities. Electronically submitted information is maintained and destroyed pursuant to the Federal Records Act, and in some cases may be subject to the Privacy Act. If information that you submit is to be used in a Privacy Act system of records, there will be Privacy Act Notice provided.
How NIH Uses Cookies

The Office of Management and Budget Memo M-10-22, Guidance for Online Use of Web Measurement and Customization Technologies allows Federal agencies to use session and persistent cookies.

When you visit any Web site, its server may generate a piece of text known as a "cookie" to place on your computer. The cookie allows the server to "remember" specific information about your visit while you are connected.

The cookie makes it easier for you to use the dynamic features of Web pages. Cookies from NIH Web pages only collect information about your browser’s visit to the site; they do not collect personal information about you.

There are two types of cookies, single session (temporary) and multi-session (persistent). Session cookies last only as long as your Web browser is open. Once you close your browser, the cookie disappears. Persistent cookies are stored on your computer for longer periods.

Session Cookies: We use session cookies for technical purposes such as to enable better navigation through our site. These cookies let our server know that you are continuing a visit to our site. The OMB Memo 10-22 Guidance defines our use of session cookies as "Usage Tier 1—Single Session." The policy says, "This tier encompasses any use of single session web measurement and customization technologies."

Persistent Cookies: We use persistent cookies to enable Webtrends to differentiate between new and returning NIH.gov visitors. Persistent cookies remain on your computer between visits to NIH.gov until they expire. We also use persistent cookies to block repeated invitations to take the ACSI survey. The persistent cookies that block repeated survey invitations expire in 90 days. The OMB Memo 10-22 Guidance defines our use of persistent cookies as "Usage Tier 2—Multi-session without Personally Identifiable Information (PII)." The policy says, "This tier encompasses any use of multi-session Web measurement and customization technologies when no PII is collected."

How to Opt Out or Disable Cookies

If you do not wish to have session or persistent cookies placed on your computer, you can disable them using your Web browser. If you opt out of cookies, you will still have access to all information and resources at NIH.gov. Instructions for disabling or opting out of cookies in the most popular browsers are located at http://www.usa.gov/optout_instructions.shtml. Please note that by following the instructions to opt-out of cookies, you will disable cookies from all sources, not just those from NIH.gov.

NINDS Privacy Act Coordinator

Nhi Huynh, Office of the Director, NINDS

To return to the page you were previously on, use your browser's back button.