Privacy Policy
Last updated: 2 April 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how Heart Matters (heartmatters.com) collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information. We are committed to handling your information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
By using heartmatters.com, you agree to the practices described in this policy.
1. Who We Are
Heart Matters is a patient-facing cardiovascular health education platform founded and edited by Prof. Peter Barlis, Interventional Cardiologist. The site is based in Australia and is operated as an independent educational resource. It is not affiliated with any hospital, health system, or commercial entity.
For privacy-related enquiries, contact us at: info@heartmatters.com
2. What Information We Collect
Information you provide directly
If you subscribe to our newsletter or contact us via our contact form, we collect your email address and any information you choose to include in your message. We do not require you to provide your name.
Information collected automatically
When you visit heartmatters.com, our hosting and analytics systems may automatically collect certain technical information including your IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited, time spent on pages, and referring URL. This information is used solely to understand how the site is used and to improve its content and performance.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Send you our newsletter if you have subscribed — you can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email we send
- Respond to enquiries submitted via our contact form
- Analyse site usage to improve content, navigation, and performance
- Comply with our legal obligations
We do not use your information for any other purpose without your explicit consent.
4. Advertising
Heart Matters does not display advertising and does not use your data for advertising purposes. We do not work with advertising networks or permit third-party advertisers to collect data through our site.
5. Cookies
Heartmatters.com uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to support basic site functionality and to collect anonymous usage data via analytics tools. We do not use cookies to track you across other websites or to serve advertising.
You can disable cookies through your browser settings. Note that some site features may not function correctly if cookies are disabled.
6. Newsletter
If you subscribe to the Heart Matters newsletter, your email address is stored and used solely to send you our editorial updates. We do not share your email address with third parties for marketing purposes.
You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any newsletter email, or by contacting us at info@heartmatters.com.
7. Sharing of Your Information
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share data only in the following limited circumstances:
- Service providers: Third-party providers who assist with site hosting, analytics, or email delivery — bound by confidentiality obligations and permitted to use your data only to provide services to us
- Legal requirements: Where we are required by law to disclose information to authorities
8. Data Storage and Security
Your information is stored on secure servers. We take reasonable technical and organisational steps to protect your personal information from misuse, loss, or unauthorised access. However, no internet transmission is entirely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law.
9. Your Rights
Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to:
- Request access to the personal information we hold about you
- Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information
- Ask us to delete your information, where we are not legally required to retain it
- Withdraw your consent to receive marketing communications at any time
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@heartmatters.com. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe.
10. Children’s Privacy
Heart Matters is not directed at individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe a child has submitted personal information to us, please contact us and we will take steps to remove it.
11. Links to Other Websites
Our site may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external sites you visit.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. We encourage you to review this page periodically. Continued use of the site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
13. Contact Us
For any privacy-related questions, requests, or complaints, please contact:
Heart Matters
Email: info@heartmatters.com
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au.