Terms of Service

Effective: May 12, 2026 · Last Updated: May 12, 2026

Helix Reserve LLC · [FULL MAILING ADDRESS]

1. Definitions

The following defined terms are used throughout these Terms of Service:

  • "Affiliate" — any entity that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with Helix Reserve LLC.
  • "Confidential Information" — non-public information disclosed by either party, including subscriber data, business processes, and technical infrastructure details.
  • "Family Member" — a biological relative of the Subscriber whose health information is provided during the intake process.
  • "Genetic Information" — information about an individual's genetic tests, the genetic tests of family members, and the manifestation of a disease or disorder in family members (as defined under GINA, 42 U.S.C. § 2000ff).
  • "Personal Information" — information that identifies, relates to, or could reasonably be linked to a particular individual. Includes identifiers such as name, email, and phone number.
  • "PHI" (Protected Health Information) — individually identifiable health information transmitted or maintained by a covered entity or business associate, as defined under HIPAA.
  • "Relative" — any person connected to the Subscriber by biological family relationship as represented in the family health history intake.
  • "Risk-Reducing Procedure" — any surgical, medical, or behavioral intervention undertaken to reduce the probability of a disease occurring, including but not limited to prophylactic mastectomy, oophorectomy, salpingectomy, hysterectomy, colectomy, gastrectomy, thyroidectomy, and chemoprevention.
  • "Sensitive Personal Information" — as defined under the California Consumer Privacy Act / California Privacy Rights Act (CCPA/CPRA), includes health information, genetic data, and precise geolocation.
  • "Service" — the Helix Reserve platform, including the website at helix-reserve.com, all associated APIs, and any mobile applications.
  • "Subscriber" — an individual who has created an account on the Service.
  • "Subscription" — a paid annual plan (Standard or Post-Test) that unlocks paid features of the Service.
  • "Treating Physician" — a licensed physician or other qualified healthcare provider with whom you have a direct clinical relationship for the purpose of diagnosis, treatment, or ongoing medical care.
  • "User" — any person who accesses or uses the Service, whether or not they are a Subscriber.

2. Agreement to Terms

By accessing or using Helix Reserve ("the Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree, do not use the Service. These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Helix Reserve LLC ("Helix Reserve," "we," "us," or "our").

3. Description of Service

Helix Reserve is a hereditary cancer risk monitoring and decision support platform. The Service provides guided family history intake, pattern detection, licensed genetic counselor review, and ongoing monitoring.

Helix Reserve is NOT:

  • A diagnostic service
  • A replacement for a physician or genetic counselor
  • A guideline engine claiming equivalence to any specific clinical guideline body
  • A laboratory (testing is performed by CLIA-certified labs)
  • A telehealth practice (physician ordering is contracted)

4. No Medical Advice; Patient Autonomy and Acknowledgment

4.1 No Medical Advice

The Services provided by Helix Reserve are educational and informational in nature. They do not constitute medical advice, a medical diagnosis, or a recommendation for or against any specific medical action, treatment, procedure, or medication. The Services do not replace, and are not a substitute for, the relationship between you and your Treating Physician. You should always seek the advice of your Treating Physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition, diagnosis, or treatment.

4.2 You and Your Physician Decide

You alone, in consultation with your Treating Physician, make all decisions regarding your healthcare. This includes, without limitation, decisions about whether to:

  • Undergo genetic testing;
  • Undergo diagnostic procedures, including imaging studies, biopsies, or enhanced surveillance protocols;
  • Undergo prophylactic or Risk-Reducing Procedures, including but not limited to mastectomy, oophorectomy, salpingectomy, hysterectomy, colectomy, gastrectomy, or thyroidectomy;
  • Take medication, including chemoprevention agents;
  • Make lifestyle modifications based on risk information; or
  • Share genetic or health information with insurers, employers, or other third parties.

Helix Reserve does not recommend, prescribe, order, perform, or direct any of these decisions. Any information provided through the Services that references these topics is for educational context only.

4.3 Genetic Counselor Consultations

Licensed genetic counselors available through the Service discuss your family health history, risk patterns identified by the platform, and genetic test results (if applicable). Genetic counselors:

  • Do NOT prescribe medications;
  • Do NOT order non-genetic tests, imaging, or procedures;
  • Do NOT perform surgery or any medical procedure;
  • Do NOT direct specific medical interventions; and
  • Do NOT replace your Treating Physician or other treating clinicians.

When follow-up care or specialist evaluation may be appropriate, genetic counselors will recommend that you discuss the matter with your Treating Physician. At your written request, Helix Reserve can communicate assessment results or consultation summaries to your Treating Physician, but decision-making authority regarding your care rests solely with you and your treating physicians.

4.4 Acknowledgment by Subscriber

By subscribing to or using the Service, you acknowledge and agree that:

  • You understand that the Services are educational and decision-support in nature and do not constitute medical care, medical advice, or a physician-patient relationship;
  • You will not rely solely on the Services for any healthcare decision;
  • You will discuss any health decisions, including decisions about genetic testing, surveillance, surgery, or medication, with your Treating Physician;
  • Any action or inaction you take based on information from the Services is your own decision and responsibility; and
  • You will not hold Helix Reserve, its officers, employees, contractors, or affiliated genetic counselors responsible for outcomes resulting from healthcare decisions you make.

4.5 Specific Acknowledgments Regarding Risk-Reducing Procedures

You specifically acknowledge and agree that:

  • A risk signal or pattern match identified by the Service is NOT an instruction, recommendation, or directive to undergo any medical procedure, surgery, or treatment;
  • A pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant identified through genetic testing coordinated by the Service is NOT an instruction, recommendation, or directive to undergo any medical procedure, surgery, or treatment;
  • The decision to undergo any Risk-Reducing Procedure — including but not limited to prophylactic mastectomy, oophorectomy, salpingectomy, hysterectomy, colectomy, gastrectomy, or thyroidectomy — is a deeply personal decision that requires thorough evaluation by qualified medical specialists, consideration of multiple medical opinions, and assessment of factors specific to your individual health, values, and circumstances that are beyond the scope of what Helix Reserve assesses; and
  • If you undergo any procedure, medication change, or lifestyle modification based in whole or in part on information obtained through the Service, you do so based on your own judgment and your Treating Physician's independent clinical evaluation, not on any recommendation or directive from Helix Reserve.

5. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years of age and a resident of the United States to use the Service. By using the Service, you represent that you meet these requirements. The Service is not intended for and does not target residents of the European Union, United Kingdom, or other jurisdictions outside the United States.

6. Subscription, Billing, and Refunds

Plans: Helix Reserve offers two paid subscription tiers: Standard ($499/year) and Post-Test ($299/year). Pricing is subject to change with 30 days' advance notice before your next renewal date.

Billing: Subscriptions are billed annually through Stripe. Applicable sales or use tax is applied where required by law.

Payment failure: If a payment fails, we will attempt to collect via Stripe's retry schedule. After [3] consecutive failed attempts over [14] days, your subscription may be suspended. You will receive email notification at each stage.

Cancellation: Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period — you retain access until then.

Refunds: No refunds are provided under any circumstances. By subscribing, you acknowledge this no-refund policy.

Chargebacks: Disputed charges are handled through Stripe's standard dispute resolution process. Filing a chargeback does not constitute cancellation of your subscription.

7. Account and Data Accuracy

You are responsible for maintaining the accuracy of your family medical history. The quality of your risk assessment depends on the completeness and accuracy of the information you provide. You must maintain accurate contact information and promptly update it if it changes.

8. Data Use and De-identification

By using the Service, you consent to Helix Reserve's use of de-identified family health history data for research and commercial purposes. De-identified data has all personally identifiable information removed and cannot be traced back to you. Your name, email, contact details, and other Personal Information are stored in separate tables from your family health data to facilitate this separation.

9. Immutable Submission Record

When you submit your initial family medical history, a timestamped, hash-chained snapshot is permanently recorded. This original submission cannot be altered or deleted. Subsequent updates are tracked as versioned revisions against the original. This protects the authenticity and provenance of the data for your benefit and ours.

10. Family Member Information

The Service collects non-identifying health information about your biological relatives (cancer diagnoses, approximate ages at diagnosis, vital status). This information is collected under an "informational interest" framework: you have a legitimate interest in understanding your own hereditary risk, which requires context about your biological family's health history.

We do not collect names, contact information, or other direct identifiers of your family members. Relatives are identified only by relationship label (e.g., "maternal grandmother"). You represent that you have a good-faith basis for the health information you provide about relatives.

Certain states impose additional requirements on the collection of family health information. For example, Illinois's Genetic Information Privacy Act (GIPA) requires written consent before collection of genetic information with a private right of action for violations. We obtain appropriate consent at signup for residents of states with such requirements.

EU/UK residents: The Service does not target or knowingly process data of EU/UK residents. Family medical history constitutes special category data under GDPR Article 9. If you are or become an EU/UK resident, you must notify us so we can address applicable data protection requirements.

11. Genetic Testing

If genetic testing is clinically indicated based on your assessment, it is included in your Standard subscription at no additional cost. Testing is performed by third-party CLIA-certified laboratories (e.g., Invitae, Labcorp). Physician ordering is coordinated through contracted telehealth providers (e.g., OpenLoop Health). Helix Reserve is not a lab and does not perform testing directly.

Post-Test Genetic Counseling Sessions

When genetic test results are available, a licensed genetic counselor will conduct a post-test counseling session with you. During this session, the genetic counselor:

  • Delivers your results in plain, accessible language;
  • Describes any variants identified and their clinical significance;
  • Describes available options, which may include enhanced surveillance protocols, specialist referral, cascade testing for family members, and discussion with your Treating Physician;
  • Coordinates communication with your Treating Physician at your request; and
  • Documents the consultation in your case record.

The genetic counselor will NOT recommend, prescribe, or order any specific medical intervention during this session. The post-test counseling session is a clinical genetic counseling encounter. It is not a medical visit, a diagnostic visit, or a treatment-planning visit. Any decisions about medical follow-up, including surveillance, surgery, medication, or other interventions, are made by you in consultation with your Treating Physician.

12. Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) Disclosure

The federal Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (42 U.S.C. § 2000ff) prohibits health insurers from using genetic information to make coverage or premium decisions, and prohibits employers from using genetic information in employment decisions (hiring, firing, promotions, etc.).

Important limitations: GINA does not cover life insurance, disability insurance, or long-term care insurance. Insurers in these categories may ask about genetic testing history and family health history, and may use that information in underwriting decisions.

Information from Helix Reserve assessments and any associated genetic test results could potentially be requested by life, disability, or long-term care insurers if you self-disclose. We recommend consulting an attorney before sharing Helix Reserve reports or genetic test results with such insurers.

13. State Genetic Privacy Laws

In addition to federal protections, several states have enacted genetic privacy laws that may apply to your use of the Service:

  • California: Genetic Information Privacy Act (GIPA), CCPA/CPRA (see Section 16)
  • Illinois: Genetic Information Privacy Act (GIPA) — strict consent requirements with private right of action and statutory damages
  • Washington: My Health My Data Act — strict protections for consumer health data not covered by HIPAA
  • Florida: Genetic privacy statute (Fla. Stat. § 760.40)

Helix Reserve will comply with applicable state genetic privacy laws based on the Subscriber's state of residence as provided during account creation. For Illinois residents specifically, we obtain written consent before collection of genetic information in compliance with Illinois GIPA requirements.

14. HIPAA Status and Limitations

Helix Reserve is working toward HIPAA-compliant infrastructure. We treat all subscriber health data with protections aligned to HIPAA's Privacy Rule (45 CFR Part 164, Subpart E) and Security Rule (45 CFR Part 164, Subpart C) as guiding standards.

Our current posture:

  • Row-level security enforced on all tables containing subscriber health data
  • Encryption at rest (AES-256) and in transit (TLS 1.2+)
  • Audit logging of all access to protected health information
  • Business Associate Agreements in progress with infrastructure providers

Important distinction: Helix Reserve operates as a healthcare-adjacent technology service. We are not a HIPAA Covered Entity in the traditional sense (we are not a health plan, healthcare clearinghouse, or healthcare provider conducting standard electronic transactions). However, your genetic counselor consultations create a clinical relationship — the genetic counselor is a covered entity, and PHI from those consultations is protected under HIPAA accordingly.

15. Your Data Rights

You have the following rights regarding your data:

  • Right to access: Download your complete family health history and assessment results at any time through your account.
  • Right to correct: Update your family medical history at any time. Corrections are tracked as versioned revisions.
  • Right to deletion: Request deletion of your personally identifiable information by contacting privacy@helix-reserve.com. Retained for legal compliance: audit logs, billing records, and the de-identified original submission snapshot (per Section 9).
  • Right to portability: Request your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
  • Right to restrict processing: Request that we pause processing of your data (distinct from account deletion).

How to exercise: Submit a verifiable request to privacy@helix-reserve.com. We will verify your identity before processing. Response timeline: within 30 days of receiving a verifiable request, with one 30-day extension if reasonably necessary.

16. California-Specific Privacy Disclosures (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act and California Privacy Rights Act:

Notice at Collection — categories of personal information collected:

  • Identifiers: name, email address, phone number
  • Commercial information: subscription tier, payment history
  • Internet activity: pages visited, features used (via analytics)
  • Sensitive personal information: health information (family medical history), genetic data (test results if applicable)

Purposes: Providing risk assessment services, billing, account communications, security, and system monitoring.

Sale of personal information: Helix Reserve does not sell personal information. We do not share personal information with third parties for their own marketing purposes ("Shine the Light" disclosure).

Your CCPA/CPRA rights:

  • Right to know what personal information we collect, use, and disclose
  • Right to delete personal information (subject to exceptions)
  • Right to correct inaccurate personal information
  • Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (not applicable — we do not sell)
  • Right to limit use of sensitive personal information — contact us to invoke
  • Right to non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights

17. Data Breach Notification

In the event of a confirmed breach involving your PHI or Personal Information, Helix Reserve commits to:

  • Notifying affected subscribers within 60 days of confirmed breach, in accordance with the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule and applicable state laws
  • Providing notification via email to the address on file, plus a posted notice on our website
  • Submitting regulatory notifications to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and state attorneys general as required by law
  • Providing a description of the breach, types of information involved, and steps subscribers can take to protect themselves

18. Audit Logging and Accountability

Helix Reserve maintains detailed audit logs of access to subscriber data, internal admin actions, and clinical workflows. Audit logs record the actor (user or service), action performed, target resource, and timestamp. Logs never contain the PHI values themselves — only references.

Audit logs are retained for 7 years. Logs are not provided to subscribers in the normal course of business but may be reviewed in response to a privacy complaint, security investigation, or legal request.

19. Subprocessors

The following third-party services process subscriber data on our behalf:

  • Supabase — database hosting (PostgreSQL)
  • Vercel — application hosting and CDN
  • Stripe — payment processing
  • Paubox — HIPAA-compliant transactional email (BAA in place)
  • Sentry — error monitoring (no PHI in error reports)
  • Upstash — Redis rate limiting
  • Google Calendar — consultation scheduling (booking URL only)
  • Invitae / Labcorp — genetic testing laboratory (when clinically indicated)
  • OpenLoop Health — physician ordering for genetic tests (when clinically indicated)

A current subprocessor list is maintained at /subprocessors. We provide 30 days' advance notice of new subprocessors via email or website notice.

20. Marketing Communications and Consent

Transactional emails: By creating an account, you consent to receiving essential service communications including sign-in links, assessment notifications, billing receipts, and quarterly check-in reminders. These cannot be opted out of as they are necessary for the Service to function.

Marketing emails: Newsletters, product updates, and promotional communications require separate opt-in consent. You may unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time via the unsubscribe link in any marketing email, in compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act (15 U.S.C. § 7701 et seq.).

21. SMS and Mobile Communications

If Helix Reserve sends SMS messages (e.g., appointment reminders), you consent to receiving such messages at the phone number provided. You may reply STOP at any time to unsubscribe from SMS communications. Standard messaging and data rates may apply. We comply with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (47 U.S.C. § 227).

22. Children's Information (COPPA)

Helix Reserve does not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 18. If we learn that we have inadvertently collected such information, we will delete it promptly. We comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 6501-6506).

Family history intake may include limited non-identifying health information about minor relatives (e.g., "child diagnosed with retinoblastoma at age 2"). This information is collected about the relative, not from them, and is limited to clinical fields necessary for risk assessment.

23. Limitation of Liability

(a) Helix Reserve provides decision support, not medical advice. The Service does not diagnose conditions, guarantee outcomes, or replace professional medical judgment. You should discuss any findings with your primary care physician to determine next steps.

(b) TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, HELIX RESERVE'S TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO THE SERVICE IS LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT YOU PAID FOR THE SERVICE IN THE 12 MONTHS PRECEDING ANY CLAIM. IN NO EVENT SHALL HELIX RESERVE BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES.

(c) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Helix Reserve is not responsible for, and you release Helix Reserve from any liability for: (i) any medical or surgical procedure you elect to undergo or to forgo; (ii) any medication you elect to take or not take; (iii) any clinical decision made by your Treating Physician regardless of whether the Services were a factor in that decision; (iv) any psychological distress, lifestyle changes, family impacts, or financial costs resulting from your interaction with the Services; (v) any decision by an insurer, employer, or other third party based on information you chose to share.

24. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Helix Reserve LLC, its officers, directors, employees, contractors, and affiliated genetic counselors from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from or related to: (a) your use of the Services; (b) your violation of these Terms; (c) your violation of any third-party rights; (d) any medical procedure (including any Risk-Reducing Procedure), medication, or other clinical action that you, your Treating Physician, or any third party undertakes or fails to undertake in reliance on, or in connection with, information obtained from or through the Services. This indemnification obligation survives termination of your account and these Terms.

25. Dispute Resolution and Arbitration

Any dispute arising from these Terms or the Service shall be resolved through binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, except that either party may bring claims in small claims court for disputes under [$10,000].

Arbitration fees: Helix Reserve will pay all AAA arbitration fees and administrative costs for individual consumer claims under [$25,000].

Class action waiver: You agree to resolve disputes on an individual basis only. You waive any right to participate in a class action, class arbitration, or representative proceeding.

Governing law: These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of [STATE], without regard to conflict-of-law principles.

26. Termination

You may cancel your subscription at any time through your account billing page or the Stripe Customer Portal. Upon cancellation, access continues through the end of your current billing period. After expiration, you retain the ability to log in and view your billing page, but paid features (assessment details, counselor review, monitoring) are no longer accessible until you re-subscribe. Your family history data is retained per our data retention policy.

27. Force Majeure / Service Continuity

Helix Reserve is not liable for failures to perform caused by circumstances beyond reasonable control, including natural disasters, government actions, pandemics, infrastructure provider outages, or cyberattacks.

Cessation of operations: In the event Helix Reserve ceases operations, subscribers will receive 90 days' advance notice and the opportunity to download their complete data in a portable format before the Service is discontinued.

28. Accessibility

Helix Reserve is committed to maintaining the website in compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standards where feasible. If you experience accessibility issues, please contact accessibility@helix-reserve.com.

29. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via email to active subscribers at least 30 days before taking effect. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision.

30. Severability and Survival

Severability: If any provision of these Terms is held to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full force and effect.

Survival: The following sections survive termination of your account: Sections 4 (No Medical Advice; Patient Autonomy and Acknowledgment), 8 (Data Use), 9 (Immutable Submission), 10 (Family Member Information), 12 (GINA), 14 (HIPAA), 15 (Data Rights), 16 (CCPA), 17 (Breach Notification), 18 (Audit Logging), 23 (Limitation of Liability), 24 (Indemnification), 25 (Arbitration), and 27 (Service Continuity).

Entire agreement: These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and Notice of Privacy Practices, constitute the entire agreement between you and Helix Reserve.

31. Contact and Authority Designations