Privacy Policy

1. About this policy

This policy applies to the website drshalinisharma.in and to personal information you share with Dr. Shalini Sharma’s clinic through the website, by phone, by message or in person. In this policy, “we”, “us” and “our” mean Dr. Shalini Sharma and the clinic.

For the personal data described here, Dr. Shalini Sharma decides why and how it is used, which makes the clinic the “Data Fiduciary” under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. We process your data on the basis of your consent, which you give when you submit a form, book an appointment or contact us, or where the law otherwise allows it, such as for providing medical care, a medical emergency or legal compliance.

We handle personal information in line with Indian law, including the Information Technology Act, 2000, the rules made under it, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 as it applies to us. As a registered medical practitioner, we also follow the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002 as amended, the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines, 2020, and the NMC Guidelines on Ethical Advertising and Public Communication issued on 6 October 2026.

2. Information we collect

Information you give us

• Your name, phone number, email address and preferred appointment time when you book or ask a question.
• Anything you write in a contact form, email or message, including symptoms or health concerns you choose to describe.
• At the clinic: your age, address, medical history, test reports, prescriptions and billing details, which we record as part of your care.

Information collected automatically

• Your IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited and the time spent on them.
• Cookie and similar identifiers, described in section 6.

3. How we use your information

We use your information only for these purposes, or for another purpose with your consent or where the law requires it. You can withdraw your consent at any time by writing to us (section 9); withdrawal does not affect processing already done. We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for advertising or promotion (see section 5).

4. Who we share it with

We keep your information confidential and share it only when needed:

• Healthcare providers: laboratories, pharmacies, hospitals or specialists, when we refer you or request tests, and with your knowledge.
• Service providers: website hosting, email, messaging, appointment and analytics services that work for us and are expected to protect your data.
• Authorities: courts, regulators or government bodies, where the law or a court order requires disclosure, for example notifiable diseases, or where there is a serious risk of harm to an identifiable person.
• Others with your consent: for example, a family member you ask us to speak to.

Some service providers may store data on servers outside India. Where that happens, we expect equivalent safeguards.

5. Medical ethics, confidentiality and advertising

What you tell us in the course of your care is confidential. We follow the NMC and Indian Medical Council ethics regulations in these ways:

• Confidentiality: we do not disclose your health information to anyone without your consent, except where the law, a court order or a genuine public-interest or safety reason requires it.
• No patient promotion: we do not publish patient names, photographs, videos, medical records, clinical images, treatment details or testimonials on this website or our social media pages to promote our services.
• Factual information only: this website gives factual information about our qualifications, services and contact details. It does not promise guaranteed cures or results, offer paid reviews, or endorse any drug, brand or product.
• Teleconsultation: if we consult with you by phone, video or message, we follow the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines, 2020. We keep a record of the consultation and protect it like any other medical record.
• AI tools: we do not enter your identifiable health information into AI or similar tools unless privacy, confidentiality and professional-ethics requirements are met.

6. Cookies and analytics

Cookies are small files stored on your device. We use them to keep the website working and, where enabled, to see how visitors use it through analytics tools such as Google Analytics. These tools may set their own cookies. Our forms may use Google reCAPTCHA to block spam, and pages that show Google Maps or YouTube content load that content from Google, which may set its own cookies.

You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. The website will still work, though some features may be limited. Where we use non-essential cookies, we ask for your consent first.

7. How long we keep it

We keep medical records for at least the period required by the Indian Medical Council regulations (currently 3 years from the date of treatment), and longer where other laws or your ongoing care require. Billing records are kept as required by tax law. Enquiries that do not lead to a consultation are kept for up to 24 months from our last contact and then deleted. When information is no longer needed, we delete or anonymise it.

8. Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your information, including HTTPS on the website, restricted access to records for staff who need them, and secure hosting. Our service providers are expected to protect your data as well. No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. If a breach affecting your information occurs, we will act as the law requires, including informing you where necessary.

9. Your rights

Under applicable law you may:

• ask for a summary of the personal information we hold about you and how we use it;
• ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information, or to update it;
• ask us to erase information we no longer need to keep, subject to legal record-keeping duties;
• withdraw consent you gave us, with future effect;
• ask for copies of your medical records. We acknowledge such requests and provide the records within 72 hours, as the NMC regulations require;
• nominate another person to exercise your rights if you die or become unable to do so;
• raise a grievance with us, and if it is not resolved, complain to the Data Protection Board of India once it is operational;
• for concerns about professional conduct, approach the State Medical Council or the Ethics and Medical Registration Board of the National Medical Commission.

To use any of these rights, contact us using the details in section 13. We may need to confirm your identity first, and we will reply within a reasonable time.

10. Children’s information

Our website is meant for adults. If a child under 18 needs care, we collect and use their information with the consent of a parent or lawful guardian. If you believe a child has sent us information without such consent, please contact us and we will remove it.

11. Third-party links

The website may link to other sites, such as maps or social media pages. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices, so please read their policies.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The “last updated” date at the top shows when it last changed. Continued use of the website after an update means you accept the revised policy.

13. Grievance Officer and contact

For questions about this policy, to use your rights, or to raise a privacy or grievance concern, contact Dr. Shalini Sharma, who is also our Grievance Officer. We respond within the time the DPDP Act and its rules set.