Comment Policy

To participate in the discussion, you will need to provide your email address and name. Your email will not be shared. The NHLBI, however, may contact you to follow-up on critical issues in the discussion.

This NHLBI digital forum adheres to the HHS Comment, Privacy, and Link Policies. As part of these policies, the NHLBI retains the right to determine which comments violate the NHLBI comment policy. The NHLBI reviews users’ initial comments before they are posted and reserves the right to not post and/or remove comments not consistent with our comment policy. The NHLBI cannot respond to every comment, particularly those that deal with individual medical cases and issues (see Medical Disclaimer).  

The views expressed within posted comments do not necessarily reflect those of the NHLBI, NIH, HHS, or the federal government. The NHLBI reserves the right at all times to disclose any information as necessary to satisfy any law and regulation and to edit, refuse to post, or to remove any information or links, in whole or in part, that are in violation of these terms and conditions or of applicable law. For more information, see the NHLBI Privacy Policy.

To maintain a respectful dialogue, users agree to the following:

• Stay focused. All viewpoints are welcome, but comments should remain relevant to the topics presented on the digital forum pages.
• Be respectful. Personal attacks, profanity, and aggressive behavior are prohibited. Instigating arguments in a disrespectful way is also prohibited.
• Tell the truth. Spreading misleading or false information is prohibited.
• Do not post spam. Repeated posting of identical or very similar content in a counterproductive manner is prohibited. This includes posts aggressively promoting services or products.
• Do not falsely present yourself as a representative, employee, or official of a governmental entity by accidental or deliberate means including misleading or confusing statements in your postings.
• Refrain from adding or posting any copyrighted material to the site, without written permission of the copyright owner.

Please consider carefully what you choose to post about yourself. You participate at your own risk, taking personal responsibility for your comments.  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 (i.e., your tax dollars), moderating comments should only be expected to occur during regular business hours.

Thank you for taking the time to review our comment policy. We encourage your participation in our discussion and look forward to an active exchange of ideas.

Medical Disclaimer
As a research Institute, the NHLBI does not provide referrals to doctors or counsel people on the prevention, treatment, or diagnosis of specific medical problems. Advice on treatment or care of an individual patient should be obtained through consultation with a physician or other health professional who has examined the patient and is familiar with the patient's medical history.

Last Updated March 2012