Policy & Procedures

IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ THESE THE FERTILITY INSTITUTES INC. SMS TERMS AND CONDITIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE SIGNING UP FOR ANY OF JEFFREY STEINBERG, M.D. INCOPORATED OR THE FERTILITY INSTITUTES INC. (“THE FERTILITY INSTITUTES” OR “WE” OR “US”) TEXT MESSAGING PROGRAM. BY SIGNING UP FOR ONE OR MORE OF THE FERTILITY INSTITUTES’S TEXT MESSAGING PROGRAMS, YOU AGREE TO ABIDE BY AND BE BOUND TO THESE THE FERTILITY INSTITUTES INC. SMS TERMS AND CONDITIONS. FURTHERMORE, THESE THE FERTILITY INSTITUTES SMS TERMS AND CONDITIONS CONTAIN AN ARBITRATION CLAUSE AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER, WHICH AFFECTS HOW DISPUTES WITH THE FERTILITY INSTITUTES ARE RESOLVED.

By signing up for one or more text messaging programs, you expressly consent to receive marketing or non-marketing text messages, as applicable, from The Fertility Institutes and others texting on its behalf, at the telephone number(s) that you provide. You may opt-out of these communications at any time. Consent to receive text messages is not a condition of any purchase.  

The Fertility Institutes text messages are intended to provide you with scheduling, patient instruction, appointment and appointment location information as well as appointment confirmation information regarding The Fertility Institutes. We may also provide you with transaction-related information.  

The number of The Fertility Institutes text messages that you receive will vary depending on which of The Fertility Institutes text messaging programs you sign up and agree to receive.

Message and data rates may apply to each text message sent or received in connection with The Fertility Institutes text messages, as provided in your mobile telephone service rate plan (please contact your mobile telephone carrier for pricing plans), in addition to any applicable roaming charges. The Fertility Institutes does not impose a separate fee for sending The Fertility Institutes text messages; however, you are responsible for any fees imposed by your mobile carrier of any kind whatsoever.

To opt-in to receive text messages from The Fertility Institutes text messaging program(s), please follow the instructions provided by the staff and messaging program from which you wish to receive messages. For example, you may be asked to reply in the affirmative in the manner indicated in an initial text message (e.g., Y or Yes).   

To stop receiving text messages from The Fertility Institutes text messaging, text STOP to the text messaging program from which you no longer wish to receive messages You acknowledge that you may then receive one (1) final message from The Fertility Institutes confirming your opt-out of that text messaging program. Following such confirmation message, no additional text messages associated with that program will be sent to you unless you re-activate your subscription. This will only opt you out of the specific text messaging program of The Fertility Institutes.  You will remain opted in to other The Fertility Institutes text messaging programs. 

You represent that you are the account holder for the mobile telephone number(s) that you enroll. You are responsible for notifying The Fertility Institutes immediately if you change your mobile telephone number. You may notify The Fertility Institutes of a number change by contacting The Fertility Institutes at +1 (818) 728-4600.

You agree to indemnify The Fertility Institutes in full for all claims, expenses, and damages related to or caused in whole or in part by your failure to notify The Fertility Institutes if you change your telephone number including, but not limited to, all claims, expenses, and damages related to or arising under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

It is your responsibility to determine if your mobile carrier supports text messaging and if your mobile device is capable of receiving text messages. Your receipt of our text messages is subject to the terms and conditions of your agreement(s) with your mobile carrier. 

Delivery of information and content to a mobile device may fail due to a variety of circumstances or conditions.  You understand and acknowledge that network services, including but not limited to mobile network services, are outside of The Fertility Institutes’s control, and The Fertility Institutes is not responsible or liable for issues arising from such network services (e.g., delayed or undelivered messages or the security of any messages).

Supported carriers may change from time to time, but currently include AT&T, Sprint/Boost,/Virgin, T-Mobile/MetroPCS, Verizon Wireless, CellCom USA, C Spire Wireless, U.S. Cellular, Carolina West Wireless (CWW), and Google Voice, among others. 

Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

T-Mobile® is not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

To request more information, please call us at +1 (818) 728-4600 during normal business hours.

To receive The Fertility Institutes text messages, you must be 18 years of age or older.  The Fertility Institutes reserves the right to require you to prove that you are at least 18 years of age.

The Fertility Institutes may revise, modify, or amend these The Fertility Institutes SMS Terms and Conditions at any time.  Any such revision, modification, or amendment shall take effect when it is posted to The Fertility Institutes website (www.fertility-docs.com).  You agree to review these The Fertility Institutes SMS Terms and Conditions periodically to ensure that you are aware of any changes.  Your continued consent to receive The Fertility Institutes text messages will indicate your acceptance of those changes.

We may suspend or terminate your receipt of The Fertility Institutes text messages if we believe you are in breach of these The Fertility Institutes SMS Terms and Conditions.  Your receipt of The Fertility Institutes text messages is also subject to termination in the event that your mobile telephone service terminates or lapses.  The Fertility Institutes reserves the right to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, all or any part of The Fertility Institutes text messages, with or without notice.

Your privacy is important to us.

Arbitration and Class Action Waiver

Please read this carefully. It affects your rights.

Any dispute or claim relating in any way to your receipt or use of The Fertility Institutes text messages will be resolved by binding arbitration, rather than court.

Any and all controversies, disputes, demands, counts, claims, or causes of action (including the interpretation and scope of this clause, and the arbitrability of the controversy, dispute, demand, counts, claim, or cause of action) between you and The Fertility Institutes or The Fertility Institutes’s employees, agents, successors, or assigns, shall exclusively be settled through binding and confidential arbitration.

This agreement to arbitrate is intended to be broadly interpreted, and expressly includes claims brought under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 47 U.S.C. § 227 et seq., or any other statute, regulation, or legal or equitable theory. You and The Fertility Institutes hereby agree that the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. 1, et seq. (“FAA”) applies to this agreement to arbitrate, and governs all questions of whether a dispute is subject to arbitration. Unless you and we agree otherwise in writing, arbitration shall be administered by the JAMS International Arbitration Rules in effect at the time of filing of the arbitration (the “JAMS Rules”). However, just as a court would, the arbitrator or arbitrators must honor the terms and limitations in these The Fertility Institutes Inc. Terms and Conditions, and can award damages and relief (including any attorneys’ fees) authorized by law and/or the JAMS Rules. The arbitration decision and award is final and binding, with some exceptions under the FAA, and judgment on the award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction. There is no judge or jury in arbitration and arbitration procedures are simpler and more limited than rules applicable in court. YOU AGREE THAT, BY ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT, YOU AND THE FERTILITY INSTITUTES ARE EACH WAIVING THE RIGHT TO SUE IN COURT, INCLUDING RIGHTS TO RECEIVE A TRIAL BY JURY AND THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT, CLASS-WIDE ARBITRATION, PRIVATE ATTORNEY-GENERAL ACTION, OR ANY OTHER REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING.

THIS AGREEMENT DOES NOT ALLOW FOR CLASS ARBITRATIONS EVEN IF THE PROCEDURES OR RULES OF JAMS WOULD. RATHER, YOU AND WE ARE ONLY ENTITLED TO PURSUE ARBITRATION ON AN INDIVIDUAL, BILATERAL BASIS. FURTHER, AND UNLESS YOU AND THE FERTILITY INSTITUTES AGREE OTHERWISE IN WRITING, THE ARBITRATOR(S) MAY NOT CONSOLIDATE MORE THAN ONE INDIVIDUAL PARTY’S CLAIMS WITH ANY OTHER PARTY’S CLAIMS, AND MAY NOT OTHERWISE PRESIDE OVER ANY FORM OF A REPRESENTATIVE OR COLLECTIVE PROCEEDING.

Payment of all filing, administration and arbitrator fees will be governed by the JAMS Rules. Arbitration under this agreement shall be held in the United States county where you live or work, California or New York, or any other location we mutually agree to, subject to California law. The arbitration may award on an individual basis the same damages and relief as a court (including injunctive relief). Any judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

This agreement to arbitrate does not preclude you from bringing issues to the attention of federal, state, or local agencies. Such agencies can, if the law allows, seek relief against us on your behalf.

OPT-OUT OF AGREEMENT TO ARBITRATE: You can decline this agreement to arbitrate by emailing The Fertility Institutes (businessoffice@thefertilityinstitutes.com) and providing the requested information as follows: (1) your name, (2) your address, (3) your phone number, (4) the URL containing the Arbitration and Class Action Waiver provision for the The Fertility Institutes SMS Terms and Conditions, and (5) clear statement that you wish to opt out of this arbitration provision. This opt-out notice must be emailed no later than 30 days after the date you first accept these The Fertility Institutes Terms and Conditions.

To the fullest extent permissible pursuant to applicable law, we are not responsible and will not be liable for any damages of any nature, including without limitation any incidental, special or consequential damages (such as lost profits or lost business opportunities), punitive damages or attorney’s fees.

Except as otherwise provided herein, your use of this service under this agreement is governed by the laws of the State of California.

If any term of these The Fertility Institutes Inc. Terms and Conditions is to any extent illegal, otherwise invalid, or incapable of being enforced, such term shall be excluded to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability; all other terms hereof shall remain in full force and effect; and, to the extent permitted and possible, the invalid or unenforceable term shall be deemed replaced by a term that is valid and enforceable and that comes closest to expressing the intention of such invalid or unenforceable term. If application of this severability provision should materially and adversely affect the economic substance of the transactions contemplated hereby, the party adversely impacted shall be entitled to compensation for such adverse impact, provided the reason for the invalidity or unenforceability of a term is not due to serious misconduct by the party seeking such compensation.