Privacy Policy

Effective date: 3 May 2026

1. Introduction

The Sequoia Clinic ("the Clinic", "we", "us", or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and disclose information obtained through our website (the "Website") and describes the rights available to you in respect of that information.

This Privacy Policy applies solely to information collected through the Website. It does not address the handling of medical or clinical records collected during in-clinic consultations or treatments, which are governed separately in accordance with applicable healthcare regulations, including those issued by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

By accessing or using the Website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

2. Legal Framework

This Privacy Policy is issued in accordance with the laws of the United Arab Emirates, including:

  • Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data (the "UAE PDPL");
  • Federal Decree-Law No. 44 of 2021 establishing the UAE Data Office;
  • Federal Law No. 2 of 2019 concerning the Use of Information and Communication Technology in Health Fields (the "ICT Health Law"); and
  • Applicable regulations, circulars, and standards issued by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

3. Data Controller

The Sequoia Clinic acts as the Data Controller in respect of personal data collected through the Website. For any questions, requests, or complaints relating to this Privacy Policy or the processing of your personal data, you may contact us using the details set out in Section 13 (Contact Us).

4. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal data through the Website:

4.1 Information You Provide to Us

When you submit a contact form, request an appointment, or otherwise communicate with us through the Website, you may provide:

  • Full name;
  • Email address;
  • Telephone number;
  • Preferred appointment date, time, or treatment area of interest;
  • Any additional information you choose to include in free-text fields, such as a description of your enquiry.

When you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect your name and email address for the purpose of delivering communications that you have requested.

We ask that you do not submit sensitive health information, medical history, or special category data through the Website. Such information is collected and processed only within the clinic environment under appropriate clinical and regulatory safeguards.

4.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit the Website, we and our service providers may automatically collect certain technical information, including:

  • IP address and approximate location derived from it;
  • Device type, operating system, and browser type;
  • Pages visited, referring URL, and time spent on each page;
  • Date and time of access;
  • Cookie identifiers and similar tracking technologies.

5. Cookies and Analytics

The Website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to operate effectively, analyse usage, and support marketing activities. Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website.

5.1 Categories of Cookies

  • Strictly necessary cookies: required for the Website to function and cannot be disabled.
  • Analytics cookies: used to understand how visitors interact with the Website. We use Google Analytics for this purpose.
  • Marketing cookies: used to measure the performance of advertising and to deliver relevant content. We use the Meta Pixel for this purpose.

5.2 Third-Party Service Providers

Where you consent to non-essential cookies, certain personal data (including IP address and browsing behaviour) may be transmitted to third-party providers, including Google LLC and Meta Platforms, Inc. These providers may process your data in jurisdictions outside the UAE, including the United States. Their handling of your data is governed by their respective privacy policies.

5.3 Managing Your Cookie Preferences

You may control or disable cookies at any time by adjusting the settings in your web browser. Most browsers allow you to refuse new cookies, delete existing cookies, or be notified when a cookie is set. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality and performance of the Website.

6. Purposes and Lawful Basis of Processing

We process your personal data for the following purposes and on the following lawful bases under the UAE PDPL:

  • To respond to your enquiries and appointment requests, on the basis of your consent and the steps necessary to enter into a service relationship with you.
  • To send you newsletters and marketing communications you have requested, on the basis of your consent. You may withdraw consent at any time.
  • To analyse and improve the performance, content, and security of the Website, on the basis of our legitimate interest in operating an effective and secure online presence.
  • To comply with our legal, regulatory, and reporting obligations under applicable UAE laws.
  • To protect our rights, property, and the safety of our patients, staff, and the public, where such processing is necessary and proportionate.

7. Disclosure of Personal Data

We do not sell your personal data. We may disclose your personal data to the following categories of recipients, in each case under appropriate contractual and legal safeguards:

  • Authorised employees and clinical staff of The Sequoia Clinic, on a need-to-know basis;
  • Service providers acting on our behalf, including hosting providers, email delivery platforms, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, analytics providers, and marketing platforms;
  • Professional advisors, including legal, accounting, and audit professionals;
  • Regulatory and governmental authorities, where required by applicable law or in response to a lawful request;
  • Any successor entity in the event of a merger, acquisition, restructuring, or sale of all or part of our business.

8. International Transfers of Personal Data

Some of the service providers we engage are located outside the United Arab Emirates. Where personal data is transferred outside the UAE, we will ensure that the transfer takes place only to jurisdictions providing an adequate level of protection, or pursuant to appropriate safeguards as required under the UAE PDPL, including contractual commitments imposing data protection obligations on the recipient.

9. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal, regulatory, accounting, or reporting requirements. Indicative retention periods are as follows:

  • Contact form and appointment enquiry data: retained for up to 24 months from the date of last interaction, unless a service relationship is established, in which case retention is governed by applicable healthcare record-keeping requirements.
  • Newsletter subscriber data: retained until you withdraw your consent or unsubscribe.
  • Cookie and analytics data: retained in accordance with the retention settings of the relevant analytics platform, typically not exceeding 26 months.

When personal data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymised.

10. Security of Personal Data

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include access controls, encryption in transit, secure hosting, and regular review of our information security practices. While we take reasonable steps to safeguard your information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is fully secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. Your Rights

Subject to applicable law and any exemptions provided under the UAE PDPL, you have the following rights in respect of your personal data:

  • The right to be informed about how your personal data is processed;
  • The right to access the personal data we hold about you;
  • The right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data;
  • The right to request deletion of your personal data, subject to applicable retention obligations;
  • The right to restrict or object to certain processing activities;
  • The right to request the transfer of your personal data to another data controller, where technically feasible;
  • The right to withdraw consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out prior to withdrawal;
  • The right to lodge a complaint with the UAE Data Office or any other competent supervisory authority.

You may exercise any of these rights by contacting us using the details set out in Section 13. We may request reasonable information to verify your identity before responding to your request.

12. Children's Data

The Website is not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors through the Website. If you believe a minor has provided personal data to us through the Website, please contact us so that we may take appropriate steps to delete it.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, requests, or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy or the way we handle your personal data, please contact us at:

The Sequoia Clinic Email: info@sequoiaclinic.ae

14. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, or applicable law. The most current version will always be available on the Website, with the "Effective Date" updated accordingly. Where changes are material, we will take reasonable steps to inform you in advance.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal data.