Privacy Policy

DawaConsult exists to give people clear, trustworthy pharmacy advice. That trust starts with how we handle your information. This page explains what we collect, why, where it lives, and the control you keep over it — in plain language, without legal theatrics.

Who we are

DawaConsult is a pharmacy consultation service operated by Dr. Ryan Mwirigi, based in Nairobi, Kenya. All consultations are handled personally by Dr. Ryan — no assistants, no third-party reviewers, no outsourcing. When you share information with DawaConsult, one pharmacist sees it, and that is the pharmacist advising you.

What information we collect

When you submit the consultation form

• Your first and last name
• Your email address
• The type of consultation you're requesting
• Details of your question, which may include medications, symptoms, or health conditions you choose to share
• Your preferred contact method (email, phone, WhatsApp, or video call)

When you submit the feedback form

• Your answers to the feedback questions
• Any optional comments you provide

When you visit the site

The website does not use tracking cookies, analytics scripts, or advertising pixels. Our hosting provider (Netlify) may record standard technical information such as your IP address and browser type for basic security and performance purposes — this is not combined with any consultation data.

How your information is handled

When you submit a form, your information travels through Formspree — a third-party form service — and arrives in Dr. Ryan's email inbox. Formspree encrypts data in transit and at rest, and their privacy practices are available on their website.

Your information is used for one purpose: to respond to your query. It is never sold, rented, shared with marketers, or used to build profiles about you.

Sensitive health information

We ask you to think carefully before sharing highly sensitive information (such as HIV status, mental health conditions, reproductive health, or other details you consider deeply private) through the initial web form. A web form, even a well-built one, is not the most private way to share that kind of information.

For sensitive disclosures, we recommend submitting only your contact details and a general note (for example: "I have a question about a chronic condition"). Once Dr. Ryan responds, you can decide together whether to continue by email, WhatsApp, voice call, or video call — and share the specifics through whichever channel you're most comfortable with.

How long we keep your information

Consultation emails are retained for up to 12 months from the date of your last interaction, after which they are permanently deleted. This window allows for reasonable follow-up, reference to prior advice, and continuity of care between sessions.

Feedback submissions are retained in aggregated form only — individual responses are deleted after review.

You may request earlier deletion at any time (see "Your rights" below).

Who can see your information

Inside DawaConsult, only Dr. Ryan Mwirigi has access to your submitted information. Outside DawaConsult, your data rests on the infrastructure of two service providers:

• Formspree — the service that receives your form submission and forwards it by email.
• Google (Gmail) — the email service where consultations are read.

Both providers have their own privacy policies and security standards. Dr. Ryan does not share your information with any other party unless required by Kenyan law (for example, under a lawful court order) or with your explicit consent.

Your rights

Under Kenya's Data Protection Act 2019, you have the right to:

• Ask what personal information DawaConsult holds about you
• Ask for corrections if anything is inaccurate
• Ask for your information to be deleted
• Withdraw consent for DawaConsult to hold your information, at any time
• Lodge a complaint with Kenya's Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) if you believe your rights have been violated

To exercise any of these rights, email Dr. Ryan directly at cryanmwirigi@gmail.com. Requests are actioned within 30 days.

Clinical scope and limitations

DawaConsult provides pharmacy consultation — medication guidance, interaction checks, adherence support, lab result interpretation in the context of your medications. It is not a substitute for an in-person clinical examination, a diagnosis from a physician, or emergency medical care.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 999 or visit your nearest hospital. If your question requires physical examination, Dr. Ryan will refer you appropriately.

Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your information: the website uses HTTPS encryption, the forms are protected against automated abuse, account access is protected by strong authentication, and security headers are applied across the site. No system connected to the internet is perfectly secure, but we treat your information with the care it deserves.

If a data breach occurs that affects your information, you will be notified by email as soon as reasonably possible, along with what happened and what steps are being taken.

Changes to this policy

This policy may be updated from time to time. When meaningful changes happen, the "Last updated" date at the top will change, and if the change materially affects your rights, we'll notify you directly.