Terms and Conditions
The research partners (herein, the “STEP for MS Partners”) of the Comparative Effectiveness Study of an Exercise Intervention Delivered via Telerehabilitation and Conventional Mode of Delivery, or the “STEP for MS Trial” offer the information on this website (“Site”) for general information, as well as for research and educational purposes (the “Service”).
This information is not intended as medical advice and should not be used for diagnosis and treatment. Likewise, information on this Site is not intended to create any physician-patient or other clinician-patient relationship, nor should it be considered a replacement for consultation with a healthcare professional. If you have questions or concerns about your health, please contact your healthcare provider.
1. The Study
STEP for MS (Supervised versus Telerehab Exercise Program for People with Multiple Sclerosis) is a four-year study, funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). STEP for MS will enroll 500 participants to take part in a 16-week exercise program performed either at home, or in an exercise facility. STEP for MS hopes to provide people with MS information to guide their choice of exercise options. The trial involves participants completing surveys when they enroll, 8 weeks into the trial, at 16 weeks after they complete the trial, and again 12 months later. Some questions are repeated over time to track changes.
All surveys are completed online using the STEP for MS data “Portal.” Participants will be responsible for completing and submitting some surveys themselves using a unique Portal account. Other surveys and assessments will be completed and submitted to the Portal with the help of study personnel.
2. Confidentiality
Study staff will protect your personal information closely so no one will be able to connect your responses and any other information that identifies you. When you share your information in the Portal, all information that identifies you directly will be stored separately from your survey answers. Federal or state laws may require us to show information to third parties who are responsible for monitoring the safety of this study; however, directly identifying information (e.g. names, addresses) will be safeguarded and maintained under controlled conditions, and you will not be identified in any publication from this study.
3. Terms of Use
By accessing and using this Site and the Portal, you agree to each of the terms and conditions set forth herein (“Terms of Use”). Additional terms and conditions applicable to specific areas of this Site, the Portal or to particular content or transactions are also posted in particular areas of the Site and, together with these Terms of Use, govern your use of those areas, content or transactions. These Terms of Use, together with applicable additional terms and conditions, are referred to as this “Agreement.” The STEP for MS Partners reserve the right to update, revise or modify this Agreement at any time by posting to this Site. Your continued use of this Site constitutes your agreement to follow and be bound by the Agreement as modified.
4. Registration
Registration is required to join the STEP for MS Trial. REGISTRATION IS OPEN ONLY TO INDIVIDUALS AGED 18 TO 65 WHO ARE IN THE STEP for MS TRIAL OR WHO ARE INVESTIGATORS OR STAFF AFFILIATED WITH STEP FOR MS AND REQUIRES THE SUBMISSION OF AN INFORMED CONSENT DOCUMENT.
By registering on the Site and entering information in the Portal, you agree that the information you provide is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. You also agree to maintain and update this information as requested by the Step for MS Partners. While using this Site and the Portal, you further agree to comply with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations. You agree not to take any action that interferes with another user’s right to privacy or ability to use this website, the Portal or the Site.
The Step for MS Partners reserve the right to access this information to communicate with you, to enforce this Agreement, and to enforce and protect the legal rights of the STEP for MS Partners, Shepherd Center, including the intellectual property rights belonging to any party. The STEP for MS Partners also reserve the right to cancel your registration at any time if, in their sole discretion, they believe you are not acting in accordance with this Agreement.
5. Use of Site
You may use the Service, the Portal, the Site, and the information, writings, images, videos and/or other works that you see, hear or otherwise experience on the Site (the “Content”) solely for your non-commercial, personal purposes and/or to learn about any of the sites in the STEP for MS trial. No right, title or interest in any Content is transferred to you, whether as a result of downloading such Content or otherwise. The STEP for MS Partners reserve complete title and full intellectual property rights in all Content, as more fully explained herein. Except as expressly authorized by this Agreement, you may not use, alter, copy, distribute, transmit, or derive another work from any Content obtained from the Site or the Service, except as expressly permitted by the Agreement.
6. Copyright
The Site, the Portal and the Content are protected by U.S. and/or foreign copyright laws, and, unless otherwise noted, belong to the STEP for MS Partners, which itself a collaboration among the following entities: The Shepherd Center; University of Alabama, Birmingham; University of Georgia; University of Colorado, Denver; University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Marquette University; Cleveland Clinic, Mellen Center; and the Accelerated Cure Project. You may download and reprint Content for non-commercial, non-public, personal use only. If you are browsing this Site and/or the Portal as an employee or member of any business or organization, you may download and reprint Content only for educational or other non-commercial purposes within your business or organization, except as otherwise permitted by the STEP for MS Partners. You may not manipulate or alter in any way images or other Content on the Site.
7. Trademarks
You are prohibited from using any of the marks or logos appearing throughout the Site or Portal without permission from the trademark owner, except as permitted by applicable law.
8. Links to Third-Party Websites
Links on the Site or the Portal to third party websites or information are provided solely as a convenience to you. If you use these links, you will leave the Site. Such links do not constitute or imply an endorsement, sponsorship, or recommendation by the STEP for MS Partners, nor a guarantee of the reliability of the information or product. The STEP for MS Partners are not responsible for the availability of any such sites, and they are not responsible or liable for any such site or the content thereon. If you use the links to the sites of affiliates or service providers of the STEP for MS Partners, you will leave the Site, and will be subject to the terms of use and privacy policy applicable to those sites.
9. Linking to this Site
Unless specifically authorized by the STEP for MS Partners, you may not connect “deep links” to the Site, i.e, create links to this Site that bypass the home page or other parts of the Site. You may not mirror or frame the home page or any other pages of this Site on any other Site or web page.
10. Downloading Files
The STEP for MS Partners cannot and do not guarantee or warrant that files available for downloading through the Site (including the Portal) will be free of infection by software viruses or other harmful computer code, files or programs.
11. Indemnification
You understand and agree that you are personally responsible for your behavior on the Site and the Portal. You agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the STEP for MS Partners, its licensors, employees, agents, and any third-party information providers to the Service from and against all claims, losses, expenses, damages and costs (including, but not limited to, direct, incidental, consequential, exemplary and indirect damages), and reasonable attorneys’ fees, resulting from or arising out of your use, misuse, or inability to use the Site, the Portal, the Service, or the Content, or any violation by you of this Agreement.
12. User Conduct
You agree to use the Site and the Portal only for lawful purposes. You agree not to take any action that might compromise the security of the Site, render the Site inaccessible to others or otherwise cause damage to the Site or the Content. You agree not to add to, subtract from, or otherwise modify the Content, or to attempt to access any Content that is not intended for you. You agree not to use the Site or the Portal in any manner that might interfere with the rights of third parties.
13. General Provisions
a. Entire Agreement/No Waiver. These Terms of Use constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. No waiver by the STEP for MS Partners of any breach or default hereunder shall be deemed to be a waiver of any preceding or subsequent breach or default.
b. Correction of Errors and Inaccuracies. The Content may contain typographical errors or other errors or inaccuracies and may not be complete or current. The STEP for MS Partners therefore reserve the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions and to change or update the Content at any time without prior notice. The STEP for MS Partners do not, however, guarantee that any errors, inaccuracies or omissions will be corrected.
c. Enforcement/Choice of Law/Choice of Forum. If any part of this Agreement is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, it will not impact any other provision of this Agreement, all of which will remain in full force and effect. Any and all disputes relating to this Agreement, your use of the Site, the Portal, any other Service, or the Content are governed by, and will be interpreted in accordance with, the laws of the State of Georgia, without regard to any conflict of laws’ provisions.
14. Changes
The STEP for MS Partners reserve the right to modify this policy at any time. You will be notified by updates on this page about any changes to the terms and conditions.
Last Updated 5-2018.
© The STEP for MS Partners, a collaboration among the following entities: The Shepherd Center; University of Alabama, Birmingham; University of Georgia; University of Colorado, Denver; University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Marquette University; Cleveland Clinic, Mellen Center; and the Accelerated Cure Project – 2018, all rights reserved. iConquerMS™ is a trademark of and used with permission of the Accelerated Cure Project for MS.