Privacy Policy · Aviso de Privacidad

1. Who we are

Tijuana Medical News ("Tijuana Medical News," "we," "us" or "our") is an online news publication covering medical and health services in Tijuana, Baja California, México, at tijuanamedicalnews.com (the "Site"). For purposes of Mexico's Federal Law on the Protection of Personal Data Held by Private Parties (Ley Federal de Protección de Datos Personales en Posesión de los Particulares, "LFPDPPP"), Tijuana Medical News is the party responsible (responsable) for the personal data described in this policy. Our address for privacy matters is Tijuana, Baja California, México, and you can reach us through the details in Section 16.

2. Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information collected through the Site, our contact forms, and email correspondence with our newsroom. It does not apply to the websites, clinics, hospitals, physicians or other businesses that we write about or link to; each of them has its own privacy practices.

3. Information we collect

Information you give us

• Contact and news-tip forms: your name, email address, optional phone number, optional clinic or organization name, the topic you select, and the content of your message.
• Email and other correspondence: any information you choose to include when you write to us, including press releases, corrections or story tips.
• Newsletters or comments (if offered in the future): your email address, name and the content you submit.

Information collected automatically

• Technical data: IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, referring page, pages viewed and the date and time of your visit, recorded in standard server logs.
• Cookies and similar technologies: small files used to keep the Site working, remember preferences and, where enabled, measure readership (see Section 8).

Information we do not request

We do not ask for, and you should not send us, sensitive personal data (datos personales sensibles) such as diagnoses, medical records, test results, treatment histories, insurance or financial account numbers, government identification numbers, or information about a minor's health. If you send such information voluntarily, we will use it only to respond to you and will delete it when it is no longer needed.

4. Health information & HIPAA

The U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 ("HIPAA") applies to "covered entities" (health plans, healthcare clearinghouses and healthcare providers that conduct certain electronic transactions) and their "business associates." Tijuana Medical News is a news publisher. We are not a HIPAA covered entity or business associate, we do not provide medical care, and we do not create, receive or maintain protected health information (PHI) on behalf of any healthcare provider or health plan. As a result, HIPAA does not govern information you share with us.

Even so, we apply privacy-protective practices consistent with the spirit of HIPAA: we collect the minimum information necessary, we never sell personal information, we restrict access to messages to authorized staff, and we will not publish a reader's personal health story, name or identifying details without that person's express written consent.

Important for medical travelers: clinics, hospitals and physicians located in Mexico are generally not subject to HIPAA. Their handling of your health information is governed by Mexican law, including the LFPDPPP (which treats health data as sensitive personal data requiring express written consent) and the Official Mexican Standard on clinical records, NOM-004-SSA3-2012. Before sharing medical records with any provider, ask for and read that provider's own privacy notice (aviso de privacidad).

Nothing on this Site is medical advice. Our content is for news and informational purposes only. Always consult a licensed physician about your individual situation.

5. COFEPRIS & health advertising

In Mexico, the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (Comisión Federal para la Protección contra Riesgos Sanitarios, "COFEPRIS") regulates the advertising of health services, medical procedures, medicines, medical devices and related products under the General Health Law (Ley General de Salud) and its Regulations on Advertising (Reglamento de la Ley General de Salud en Materia de Publicidad).

• Editorial independence: our news coverage is editorial content and is not an endorsement of any provider, procedure or product.
• Advertising and sponsored content: any paid advertisement or sponsored content for health services or products will be clearly labeled as such. Advertisers are responsible for holding any required COFEPRIS advertising permit or notice (aviso o permiso de publicidad) and, where applicable, for displaying the related registration or authorization information and the professional license (cédula profesional) of the responsible physician.
• No data sharing with advertisers: we do not sell or share the personal information of readers who contact us with clinics, advertisers or sponsors. If you ask us to put you in touch with a provider, we will do so only with your express consent.
• Reporting concerns: if you believe a health advertisement on our Site is misleading or unauthorized, please contact us. You may also report it directly to COFEPRIS at gob.mx/cofepris.

6. How we use information

We use personal information for the following primary purposes (finalidades primarias), which are necessary for our relationship with you:

• To respond to your messages, news tips, press releases, correction requests and other inquiries.
• To verify information submitted for possible publication, consistent with journalistic standards.
• To operate, maintain, secure and troubleshoot the Site, and to prevent spam, fraud and abuse.
• To comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests from authorities.

We may also use information for the following secondary purposes (finalidades secundarias), which are not necessary for our relationship with you: understanding readership trends through aggregated analytics, and, if you subscribe, sending newsletters. You may object to these secondary purposes at any time by contacting us (Section 16), and doing so will not affect our response to your inquiry.

Where the EU or UK General Data Protection Regulation applies, our legal bases are: your consent; steps taken at your request before entering into an arrangement with us; our legitimate interests in operating a news website and responding to readers; and compliance with legal obligations.

7. Sharing & disclosure

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. We disclose personal information only:

• To service providers (encargados) who process it on our behalf and under our instructions, such as website hosting, backup, security and email delivery providers. They may not use it for their own purposes.
• For legal reasons: when required by law, court order or a competent authority, or to protect the rights, safety and property of our readers, staff or others.
• In a business transfer: if Tijuana Medical News is involved in a merger, acquisition or sale of assets, subject to this Privacy Policy.
• With your consent: for example, if you ask us to forward your inquiry to a clinic or to publish your story.

Under the LFPDPPP, transfers to service providers and those required by law do not require your consent. Any other transfer to third parties will be made only with your consent.

8. Cookies & analytics

We use strictly necessary cookies to deliver the Site and protect it against abuse. If we enable analytics, advertising or social media features, those services may set their own cookies to measure visits or display content; any such tools will be listed here and, where required by law, used only with your consent. You can block or delete cookies through your browser settings; blocking necessary cookies may affect how the Site works. Where your browser sends a Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal, we treat it as a request to opt out of any sale or sharing of personal information.

9. Retention

We keep contact-form submissions and correspondence for as long as needed to respond and follow up, and generally no longer than 24 months, unless a longer period is required for legal, editorial-record or dispute-resolution purposes. Server logs are kept for a limited period for security purposes. When information is no longer needed, we delete or anonymize it, after the blocking period (bloqueo) required by Mexican law where applicable.

10. Security

We maintain reasonable administrative, technical and physical safeguards, including encrypted HTTPS connections, access controls, security software and regular backups. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. If a security breach significantly affects your rights, we will notify you as required by applicable law.

11. Your privacy rights

Mexico (LFPDPPP): ARCO rights

You have the right to Access your personal data, Rectify it if inaccurate or incomplete, Cancel (delete) it, and Oppose its use for specific purposes (together, "ARCO rights"). You may also revoke your consent and limit the use or disclosure of your data. To exercise these rights, send a request as described below. We will respond within 20 business days, and if your request is granted, we will carry it out within 15 business days after our response, subject to the extensions permitted by law. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may file a complaint with the Mexican federal data protection authority (currently the Secretaría Anticorrupción y Buen Gobierno).

United States residents

Depending on your state of residence (for example California, Colorado, Connecticut, Virginia, Texas or others with consumer privacy laws), you may have the right to know what personal information we collect, access it, correct it, delete it, obtain a portable copy, and opt out of any sale, sharing or targeted advertising. We do not sell or share personal information and do not use it for profiling with legal or similarly significant effects. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights. You may use an authorized agent, and you may appeal a denial by replying to our decision.

European Union, United Kingdom and other regions

You may have rights to access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability and objection, and to withdraw consent at any time. You may also lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

How to submit a request

Send your request through our contact form (topic "Other," with "Privacy request" in the message) or by email to editor@tijuanamedicalnews.com. Please include: your full name; an email address or other means to receive our response; a copy of an identification document (or of your representative's identification and authority, if applicable); a clear description of the data and the right you wish to exercise; and, for rectification requests, the correction and supporting documentation. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.

12. International transfers

We are based in Mexico, and our service providers may store or process information in Mexico, the United States or other countries whose laws may differ from those of your country. When we transfer information internationally, we take steps to ensure it remains protected in accordance with this policy and applicable law.

13. Children

The Site is intended for adults and is not directed to children under 13 (or under 18 in Mexico for purposes of consent). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

14. Third-party sites & providers

Our articles may link to clinics, hospitals, physicians, government agencies and other websites. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices. A link or mention is not an endorsement. Please review the privacy notice of any provider before sharing personal or health information with them.

15. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices or in the law. We will post the updated version on this page with a new effective date and, when changes are significant, display a notice on the Site.

16. Contact us

Aviso de Privacidad Integral

Fecha de entrada en vigor: 7 de octubre de 2026. En caso de discrepancia, prevalecerá la versión en español para efectos de la legislación mexicana.

Identidad y domicilio del responsable

Tijuana Medical News, con domicilio en Tijuana, Baja California, México, es el responsable del tratamiento de sus datos personales conforme a la Ley Federal de Protección de Datos Personales en Posesión de los Particulares (LFPDPPP).

Datos personales que recabamos

Datos de identificación y contacto (nombre, correo electrónico, teléfono opcional, clínica u organización), el contenido de sus mensajes, y datos técnicos de navegación (dirección IP, tipo de navegador y dispositivo, páginas visitadas, cookies). No solicitamos datos personales sensibles, como datos de salud, expedientes clínicos o diagnósticos; le pedimos no enviarlos. Si los envía voluntariamente, solo se usarán para atender su solicitud y serán eliminados cuando ya no sean necesarios.

Finalidades del tratamiento

Finalidades primarias: atender sus mensajes, noticias, comunicados de prensa y solicitudes de corrección; verificar información para su posible publicación; operar y proteger el sitio; y cumplir obligaciones legales. Finalidades secundarias: elaborar estadísticas agregadas de lectura y, en su caso, enviar boletines informativos. Si no desea que sus datos se traten para las finalidades secundarias, puede manifestarlo en cualquier momento a través de los medios indicados abajo, sin que ello afecte la atención de su solicitud.

HIPAA y datos de salud

Tijuana Medical News es un medio de comunicación y no es una "entidad cubierta" ni "socio comercial" conforme a la ley estadounidense HIPAA; no prestamos servicios médicos. Las clínicas y médicos en México no están sujetos, por lo general, a HIPAA: el tratamiento de sus datos de salud se rige por la LFPDPPP y la NOM-004-SSA3-2012 del expediente clínico. Consulte el aviso de privacidad de cada prestador antes de compartir información médica. El contenido de este sitio es informativo y no constituye consejo médico.

COFEPRIS y publicidad en salud

Nuestro contenido noticioso es editorial y no constituye recomendación de ningún prestador o producto. La publicidad o contenido patrocinado sobre servicios o insumos para la salud estará identificado como tal, y los anunciantes son responsables de contar con el aviso o permiso de publicidad de la COFEPRIS que corresponda conforme a la Ley General de Salud y su Reglamento en Materia de Publicidad. No compartimos los datos de nuestros lectores con anunciantes ni clínicas sin su consentimiento expreso.

Transferencias

No vendemos sus datos personales. Solo los compartimos con encargados que nos prestan servicios (alojamiento web, respaldos, seguridad y correo electrónico) bajo nuestras instrucciones, y con autoridades competentes cuando la ley lo requiera; estas comunicaciones no requieren su consentimiento. Cualquier otra transferencia se realizará únicamente con su consentimiento.

Derechos ARCO y revocación del consentimiento

Usted tiene derecho a Acceder, Rectificar y Cancelar sus datos personales, así como a Oponerse a su tratamiento (derechos ARCO), a revocar su consentimiento y a limitar el uso o divulgación de sus datos. Envíe su solicitud mediante nuestro formulario de contacto o al correo editor@tijuanamedicalnews.com, incluyendo: nombre completo; medio para recibir respuesta; copia de identificación oficial (o la de su representante legal y el documento que acredite su representación); descripción clara de los datos y del derecho que desea ejercer; y, en caso de rectificación, la documentación que la sustente. Responderemos en un plazo máximo de 20 días hábiles y, de resultar procedente, la haremos efectiva dentro de los 15 días hábiles siguientes, conforme a los plazos y ampliaciones que establece la ley. Si considera vulnerados sus derechos, puede acudir a la autoridad federal competente en materia de protección de datos personales (actualmente la Secretaría Anticorrupción y Buen Gobierno).

Cookies y tecnologías de rastreo

Utilizamos cookies estrictamente necesarias para el funcionamiento y la seguridad del sitio y, en su caso, herramientas de medición de audiencia. Puede deshabilitar las cookies desde la configuración de su navegador.

Menores de edad

Este sitio no está dirigido a menores de edad y no recabamos intencionalmente sus datos personales.

Cambios al aviso de privacidad

Cualquier modificación a este aviso se publicará en esta misma página, indicando la fecha de actualización.