Privacy Policy

Effective date: 5 October 2026 · Version 2.0

1. Who is responsible for your data

The data controller is Fabio Zeoli, administrator and developer of the Neurosurgery Plus app (the "App"), Via Margherita 13, Sant'Angelo a Cupolo, Benevento 82010, Italy, email neurosurgeryplusadmin@gmail.com ("the Developer").

This policy explains what information the App handles, why, who receives it and what your rights are. It applies to the App on iPhone and Android. It should be read together with the Terms and Conditions and the Disclaimer.

2. Information that stays on your device

The App stores the following only on your phone: saved papers and events, filter choices, search settings, the subspecialties you chose, your country (if you chose one), the date you accepted the Disclaimer and Terms, your notification settings, the dates papers were first shown, and automatic subspecialty labels.

The Developer cannot see or access this information. It is deleted when you uninstall the App.

3. Scores

Values you enter in the Scores are processed only on your device. They are not stored or sent anywhere and disappear when you leave the score.

Do not enter any information that identifies a patient. The App is an educational tool and is not designed for patient data.

4. Papers (Europe PMC)

To show papers, the App sends search requests to Europe PMC, a public literature database run by EMBL-EBI (European Bioinformatics Institute, United Kingdom). The requests contain the search terms and filters you use, including anything you type in the Papers search box, and Europe PMC receives your device's IP address. Europe PMC handles this under its own privacy notice. The Developer does not receive these requests.

5. Events list (GitHub)

The list of events is downloaded from a public file stored on GitHub (GitHub, Inc., USA, a Microsoft company), so that it can be updated without updating the App. The request contains no personal information from the App, but GitHub receives your device's IP address and basic technical information, under its own privacy statement. The Developer does not receive these requests.

6. Notifications (OneSignal)

6.1. Optional. Notifications are off until you turn them on in the App. The App never sends anything to the notification service before you do. You can turn them off at any time in the App's Settings or in your phone's settings.

6.2. What is sent if you turn them on. To deliver notifications the Developer uses OneSignal (OneSignal, Inc., USA). OneSignal receives:

• a push identifier created by Apple (APNs) or Google (Firebase Cloud Messaging) for your device, and a OneSignal subscription ID;
• technical device information collected automatically by the OneSignal software: device model, operating system, App version, device language, time zone, mobile carrier name, country (estimated from the IP address), the IP address itself, the dates of first and last use of the App, the number of sessions and the time the App is used, and whether notifications are allowed;
• the preferences you chose, saved as "tags": up to four subspecialties, which types of notifications you want (papers, events and app news; sponsored events and offers), and, only if you turn on "Events in my country", your country.

The Developer has configured OneSignal so that it does not receive your precise location (no GPS), your name, email or phone number, and no account or user ID. According to OneSignal, IP addresses of users in the EU are not stored on its servers.

6.3. What it is used for. Only to send you the notifications you asked for: a weekly summary of new papers and events in your subspecialties (or a paper of the week), important papers or events, new scores, App updates, events in your country and, only if you turned this option on, sponsored events and partner offers. Notifications are sent at a time based on your time zone. The Developer does not use this data for advertising or profiling and does not sell it.

6.4. When you turn notifications off, your preferences (tags) are removed and the App stops sending information to OneSignal. OneSignal may keep the technical record of your device subscription. You can ask the Developer to delete it (Section 11).

7. "Contact us" and feedback emails

If you use "Contact us" or "Send feedback", the App opens your own email app with a draft addressed to the Developer. The draft includes the topic you chose, the App version and your phone's operating system version. Nothing is sent unless you press send yourself. The Developer uses your email and message only to reply and to improve the App, and keeps them for as long as needed for that purpose. Please do not include patient information.

8. Calendar

When you tap "Add to calendar", the App opens your phone's own calendar screen with the event details filled in. You decide whether to save it. The App does not read your calendar.

9. App stores, purchases and sponsors

9.1. The App is distributed through the Apple App Store and Google Play (including TestFlight and Google Play testing for beta versions). Apple and Google may collect information about downloads, purchases, crashes and App performance under their own privacy policies, and may share anonymous or aggregated statistics with the Developer.

9.2. If in-app purchases are offered in the future, payments are handled by Apple or Google. The Developer never receives your payment details.

9.3. Sponsors and partners do not receive any of your data from the Developer. If a partner offer (for example a discount code) is shown in the App, using it on the partner's website is subject to the partner's own privacy policy.

10. Legal bases (GDPR), sharing and transfers

10.1. Legal bases. The Developer relies on your consent for notifications (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR), which you can withdraw at any time by turning them off; on providing the App you asked to use and the Developer's legitimate interest in running it securely for loading papers and events (Article 6(1)(b) and (f)); and on the Developer's legitimate interest in answering emails you send.

10.2. Who receives data. Only the service providers named in this policy (OneSignal, Apple, Google, GitHub, Europe PMC), each for the purpose described. The Developer does not sell or rent personal data and does not share it with advertisers or sponsors.

10.3. Transfers outside the European Economic Area. OneSignal, GitHub, Apple and Google may process data in the United States or other countries. These transfers are covered by the EU–US Data Privacy Framework, where the provider is certified, and/or by the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses, or by other safeguards allowed by law. Europe PMC is in the United Kingdom, which is covered by an EU adequacy decision.

11. Your rights

Depending on where you live (for example under the EU and UK GDPR, or Californian and other privacy laws), you have the right to access, correct and delete your personal data, to restrict or object to its use, to data portability, and to withdraw consent at any time.

Because the App has no accounts, the Developer cannot link data to your name. To exercise your rights about notification data, write to neurosurgeryplusadmin@gmail.com and, if possible, include the Notification ID shown in the App's Settings, so that your device can be found.

If you live in the EU, you can also lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. In Italy, this is the Garante per la protezione dei dati personali (www.garanteprivacy.it).

12. How long data is kept

• Data on your device: until you delete it in the App or uninstall the App.
• Notification preferences (tags): until you turn notifications off or change them.
• OneSignal subscription record: while the App is installed with notifications on, and until it is deleted on request or by OneSignal's own retention rules.
• Emails: as long as needed to reply and to keep a record of the conversation.

13. Security

Data is sent over encrypted connections (HTTPS). The Developer keeps the data sent to providers to a minimum, and only the Developer can access the notification service account. No system is completely secure, but the Developer takes reasonable steps to protect the data.

14. Children

The App is intended for healthcare professionals and students aged 18 or over. It is not directed at children, and the Developer does not knowingly collect data from anyone under 18.

15. Changes to this policy

If the App changes in a way that affects your privacy, the Developer will update this policy and the effective date above, and inform you in the App before important changes take effect, where reasonably possible.

16. Contact

Fabio Zeoli – Neurosurgery Plus
Via Margherita 13, Sant'Angelo a Cupolo, Benevento 82010, Italy
neurosurgeryplusadmin@gmail.com