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CEDAR Terms and Conditions

I. Introduction

CEDAR is a web service that facilitates access to and findability of evidence resources within specific evidence repositories. Anticipated users of CEDAR include, but are not limited to, software developers who create applications that interact with the CEDAR API and end users (e.g., clinicians, researchers, and patients) of evidence artifacts that are stored in repositories indexed by CEDAR and who may access CEDAR via different mechanisms such as an application that uses the CEDAR API.

II. Purpose

These terms and conditions govern the relationship between the Users and Operators of CEDAR. By using CEDAR, the User agrees to comply with and be subject to these terms and conditions.

III. Definitions

  • AHRQ: The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality.
  • CEDAR: A web service that facilitates access to and findability of evidence resources within specific evidence repositories.
  • Contributor: Individuals or organizations that contribute code, documentation or other technical resources to the CEDAR open source project.
  • Governing Organization (GO): Organization that owns and oversees CEDAR (currently AHRQ).
  • Governing Organization Lead (GO Lead): Represents the GO on all matters related to CEDAR.
  • Maintainer: Oversees and administers all activity within CEDAR from a technical, process, and systems perspective (currently The MITRE Corporation).
  • Operators: Entities responsible for the operation (including but not limited to the maintenance and oversight of architecture, governance, releases, updates, repair, and technical documentation) of CEDAR, including the GO, GO Lead, and Maintainer.
  • Patient Centered Outcomes Research (PCOR): Research that compares the impact of two or more preventive, diagnostic, treatment, or healthcare delivery approaches on health outcomes, including those that are meaningful to patients. See: Potential of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund
  • Repository: GO-operated site for storage and dissemination of PCOR Artifacts.
  • User: A direct user of the CEDAR web service or a user of any application that interacts with the CEDAR web service.

IV. Use of CEDAR

Use of CEDAR is conditional on adherence to these Terms & Conditions. Users must also comply with CEDAR's Code of Conduct and Contribution Process.

There is no fee or cost to use CEDAR.

V. Ownership

Copyright

AHRQ has copyrighted CEDAR and licenses it under Apache 2.0. Artifacts indexed by CEDAR retain their original copyright, ownership and license. Contributor submissions retain their original copyright and ownership but grant CEDAR Operators a Copyright and Patent License as per the Apache 2 license.

Derivative Works

Anyone may substantially extend CEDAR so as to constitute a "derivative work" within the meaning of 17 USC 101. The GO encourages all derivative works' widespread distribution, use, and experimentation. All derivative works must comply with the terms of the Apache license.

Modification of Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions may change over time. The Governing Organization will notify Users of any change in the Terms and Conditions via a post on the CEDAR web site a minimum of 30 days prior to the effective date of the change. Users may decline to accept the revised terms and conditions by discontinuing use of CEDAR. Continued use of CEDAR shall constitute acceptance of the modified Terms and Conditions.

VI. Warranties

No CEDAR Warranty

The GO provides CEDAR "as is." It excludes all warranties, either express or implied.

No Artifact Warranty

The GO makes no warranties about any Artifacts indexed by CEDAR or the content of the websites to which Artifacts retrieved by CEDAR link. Users are responsible for verifying that Artifacts indexed by CEDAR are fit for purpose.

No Completeness Warranty

The GO makes no warranties about the completeness of results provided by CEDAR for any given combination of search criteria. Additional non-CEDAR searches may uncover additional PCOR artifacts not identified by CEDAR.

VII. Privacy

The CEDAR web service logs all requests including any supplied search parameter values. Logs may be accessed and analyzed by Operators to assess the performance of CEDAR and plan future work. Care should be taken by Users not to include confidential or personal information in requests to CEDAR.

CEDAR also logs the IP address of client applications, but CEDAR Operators are not able to link requests to individuals.

VIII. Limitation of Liability

In no event and under no legal theory, whether in tort (including negligence), contract, or otherwise, unless required by applicable law (such as deliberate and grossly negligent acts) or agreed to in writing, shall any Operator be liable to any User for damages, including any direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages of any character arising as a result of these Terms and Conditions or out of the use or inability to use CEDAR (including but not limited to damages for loss of goodwill, work stoppage, computer failure or malfunction, or any and all other commercial damages or losses), even if such Operator has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

IX. Prohibited Conduct

The CEDAR web service is a shared resource. Users are prohibited from:

  1. Attempting to gain unauthorized access to internal CEDAR systems

  2. Overloading CEDAR with too many requests

  3. Incorporating CEDAR in applications that:

    • Violate any law or government regulation, or promotes or facilitates such action by third parties

    • Is fraudulent, deceptive, unfair or predatory

    • Causes or threatens to damage and Operator's reputation

Violating these Terms and Conditions may result in penalties up to and including blocking of Users from use of CEDAR.