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Pharmaceutical Press Privacy Policy

Version 5.0 (updated April 2026)

Organisation: Pharmaceutical Press Limited (“PhP Ltd”, “we”, “our”, “us”) — a wholly owned subsidiary of the Royal College of Pharmacy.

Scope: This policy covers personal data processing carried out by Pharmaceutical Press Limited in connection with our publishing, subscription, e‑commerce and digital knowledge services offered via our owned sites and apps (together, the “PhP Services”).

Introduction

PhP Ltd is the controller of personal data obtained when you visit our sites, create an account, purchase printed titles, digital subscriptions or license our data, use our apps and forums, or interact with our editorial teams and support channels.

We comply with UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Digital United Adequacy Act 2025 (DUAA).

Children under 18 are not the target audience of our services.

What This Policy Applies To

  • www.pharmaceuticalpress.com, www.medicinescomplete.com, bnf.org (and the BNF + BNFC app), and www.formularycomplete.com
  • Account areas used for purchases, content access, or subscriptions (including NHS‑registered user access to BNF and BNFC via MedicinesComplete)
  • Forums we operate (e.g., PCF Discussion Board for palliative care health professionals)
  • Submission workflows to our editorial teams (PCF Syringe Driver Database; BNF + BNFC editorial submissions; contributor/author/editor interest forms)
  • E‑commerce functionality for printed books

Personal Data We Collect About You

The personal data we collect depends on how you use the PhP Services.

CategoryTypes of Data IncludedRetention Period
Identity DataFirst name, last name, organisation name, RCPharm membership number7 years after your last interaction with a PhP website or email
Contact DataBilling and delivery address, email address, telephone number7 years after your last interaction with a PhP website or email
Transaction DataDetails of payments to and from you; products/services purchased7 years after transaction
Technical DataIP address, login data, browser type/version, time zone and location, OS and platform, device details28 days (cookie expiries per Cookie Policy)
Profile DataJob role/level/sector, purchase history, feedback, survey responses7 years after your last interaction with a PhP website or email
Marketing & Communications DataPreferences in receiving marketing; communication preferences7 years after your last interaction with a PhP website or email
Video & Audio DataYour image, voice and likeness (where recorded)7 years after consent is given

 

How Your Personal Data Is Collected

We collect data directly from you, indirectly via our sites/apps, and from trusted third parties:

Purpose/ActivityType of DataLawful Basis (including legitimate interests)
Process and deliver printed product orders; e‑commerce and reportingIdentity; Contact; Financial; Transaction; Marketing & CommunicationsContract; Legitimate interests (recover debts)
Manage our relationship (policy updates; reviews/surveys; event info/feedback)Identity; Contact; Profile; Marketing & CommunicationsContract; Legal obligation; Legitimate interests (keep records updated; service improvement)
Administer and protect our business/sites (troubleshooting, analysis, testing, maintenance, hosting; effective content presentation)Identity; Contact; TechnicalLegitimate interests (run business; IT/admin; security; fraud prevention; group reorganisation); Legal obligation
Deliver relevant content/advertising and measure effectivenessContact; Profile; Usage; Marketing & Comms; TechnicalLegitimate interests (develop services; grow business; inform marketing strategy)
Use analytics to improve sites/products/marketing/relationships/experienceTechnical; UsageLegitimate interests (define audiences; keep sites relevant; business development)
Make suggestions/recommendations on goods/services that may interest youIdentity; Contact; Technical; Usage; ProfileLegitimate interests (develop services; business growth)

 

Special Category Personal Data

We process special category data only where necessary and lawful, e.g., for recruitment (application data) or limited instances connected with surveys or profile details you provide. Where required, we obtain explicit consent, which you may withdraw at any time.

Marketing

We may send promotional offers if you’ve requested information or purchased goods/services and not opted out. We may work with platforms such as LinkedIn and Instagram to present targeted ads; you can change your ad preferences within those platforms. You can opt out of our emails any time via unsubscribe links or by contacting customersupport@pharmaceuticalpress.com.

Who We Share Your Personal Data With

We may share your personal data with payment processors (Braintree) for e‑commerce; with external third parties who support hosting, analytics, support, product development, subscriptions, identity verification, and advertising (see Annex); and with successors in the event of merger/asset transfer. All third parties are bound by contract to process data only for specified purposes with appropriate security.

International Transfers (DUAA 2025)

We transfer personal data internationally only where permitted by DUAA: a DUAA Adequacy Regulation applies; DUAA‑approved Standard Data Protection Clauses are in place; or a DUAA‑recognised exception applies. We maintain ongoing adequacy assessments and will update this policy if transfer mechanisms change.

Cookies

You can refuse some/all browser cookies or receive alerts when cookies are set. Some site features may not function without cookies. For details, see our Cookie Policy.

PharmaceuticalPress.com

MedicinesComplete.com

BNF + BNFC app

FormularyComplete

Your Rights

You can request access, correction, erasure, restriction, portability, objection (including to direct marketing), and withdraw consent (where we rely on consent). We may need to verify your identity and typically respond within one month (extensions for complex cases).

Keeping Your Data Secure

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data. Where you have an account, keep credentials confidential. We operate breach response procedures and will notify you/the ICO where legally required.

Data Retention

We retain data only as long as needed for the purpose collected, subject to legal/accounting/reporting requirements. We only retain data in line with the retention periods shown in the table above (in the “Personal Data We Collect About You” section).

Changes to this Policy

We review this notice periodically and update it as needed. Significant changes will be highlighted on our sites. Keep your details up to date.

How to Contact Us

Pharmaceutical Press Limited

Registered office: 66-68 East Smithfield, London, E1W 1AW, UK

Company number: 07165037

General enquiries: info@pharmaceuticalpress.com

Data Protection Officer (for RCPharm Group): Calvin Smith — data.protection@rcpharm.org +44 (0)207 572 2402

You may lodge complaints with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO): https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint

Annex: Third‑Party Data Processors

Third‑PartyPurposeLocation
Amazon Web ServicesWebsite hosting & advertising servicesIreland & US
BraintreePayment processingUS
FirebaseAnalytics, crash reporting (BNF + BNFC app), marketing/product experimentsUS
FullStoryAnonymised website usage analyticsUS
Google AdsWebsite advertisingUS
Google LLCWebsite usage analyticsUS
Hedgehog LabBNF + BNFC app support & product developmentUK
Highwire (SAMS SIGMA)Login & access servicesUK
HM Revenue & CustomsRegulatory reporting (as required)UK
Atlassian JIRACustomer enquiry/workflow managementUS
LinkedInTargeted advertising uploadsUS
MDL MacMillanInstitutional/organisational subscription servicesUK & India
MPS Ltd.Invoice processing & credit managementIndia
MW AssociatesWebsite maintenance servicesUK
OKOMarket research servicesUK
OneTrustCookie managementUS
Red Hat Inc.API services into MedicinesCompleteUS
RibbonfishSalesforce support & developmentUK
RollbarReal‑time error tracking & debuggingUS
Salesforce (incl. Pardot)CRM, doc signing, storage; marketing/emailing & web analyticsUS
SiteGround Hosting LtdHostingUK
SurveyMonkeyMarket research softwareUS
UsabillaCustomer feedback survey servicesNetherlands
WooCommerceE‑commerce servicesUS
WordPressCMS, blog & web platform servicesUK
ZendeskSupport & workflow servicesUS