NETWORK DESCRIPTION AND RULES

  1. A “Network Member” is a person who has been approved for membership in the Bio-era Network.
  2. Bio-era retains the exclusive right to approve members and to terminate Network Members in violation of any Network rules.
  3. Information concerning Network Members is confidential and Network Members are prohibited from selling, or in any way disseminating outside of the network, information regarding the identity of other bio-era Network Members.
  4. Sale of information obtained from the Network, including information obtained from Network Members and from bio-era (including all of its research), is strictly prohibited.
  5. Members shall not use the Network or any of its features for the purpose of commercial solicitation, advertisement, or any other commercial purpose without prior written permission from bio-era.
  6. The Network shall not be used by its members for any illegal purpose.  Transmission of any material which violates U.S. federal or state law is strictly prohibited.
  7. The Network must not be used to transmit any communication or information which is considered, or the method of distribution or transmission is considered, or likely to be perceived as offensive, abusive or harassing to any Network Member.
  8. Network Members explicitly agree to abide by the following rules:

a)       Bio-era (bio-era or Bio Economic Research Associates, LLC) is a research firm and strategic knowledge provider which, among other things, operates the Bio-era Network for the benefit of Network Members.  The rules of membership in the Network are solely determined by bio-era and are subject to change.

b)       Bio-era Network Content, Warranties and Rules on Reproduction:

(i)                   Network members agree that except as described herein, Bio-era Network Content is the exclusive property of bio-era and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of bio-era, except as described within these Network Rules.  Bio-era Network Content means:

(ii)                 any threaded discussion or e-mail information posted to the bio-era network by any network member;

(iii)                any and all proprietary research or copyrighted material generated by bio-era and posted to the network, including without limitation any text, graphics, numerical data, analysis and opinion);, and regardless of the medium of storage or recordation (including without limitation paper, magnetic, optical and other media) or the means of delivery (including without limitation physical media, electronic data networks, electromagnetic and optical transmission, and other means of delivery). Bio-era Content may also consist of oral or written communications from employees, consultants or other representatives of bio-era transmitted in any medium or by any means (including, in addition to the media and means referred to above, orally in person or by telephone, or on paper or by e-mail).

(iv)                Exceptions to the ownership claim to all Network Content made above include instances in which Network Members post previously published public or private documents to the network which are protected by antecedent claims of copyright,  trademark and/or other legitimate prior standing claims of ownership.

(v)                  No warranty is provided for Bio-era Network Content. The Bio-era Network Content supplied by bio-era to Network Members shall be obtained from sources which bio-era believes to be reliable but in no way is warranted by bio-era as to accuracy or completeness.  Bio-era makes no warranties, whether express or implied, written or oral, with respect to the services and information to be provided to Network Members.  Additionally, bio-era makes no warranties regarding the information provided by Network Members to either bio-era or other Network Members.

(vi)                Network Members are permitted to print one copy of any available Bio-era Network Content for their personal use only.  Photocopying, faxing or other means of reproducing such material is strictly prohibited without the express written approval of bio-era

c)       Membership and Subscription Period

(i)                   All Network Members must be approved for membership by bio-era.  Membership inclusion, including term of membership and any and all fees, are determined by bio-era.  Bio-era reserves the right to refuse membership to unqualified individuals and may terminate the membership of any Network Member at any time for any reason.  Any subscription fees paid by a Network Member terminated by bio-era will be refunded on a pro-rata monthly basis.  No fees will be refunded upon termination of membership by a Network Member.

(ii)                 Employees of Bio-era clients who subscribe to either the Bio-era Priority or Basic Service (services offered to its clients separate from the Bio-era Network) are automatically approved as Network Members, within the terms of their company’s individual service agreements, whether oral or written.  All Network Rules apply to all Network Members, whether or not the Network Member is also a bio-era client.

d)       Security Measures

(i)                   Bio-era may from time to time implement password protection, copying control technology or other security measures for Network Content, and Network Members shall cooperate with any such measures.  Since bio-era's sole intent in implementing such measures would be to prevent the unauthorized duplication or transfer of the  Network Content, under no circumstances would bio-era employ any such measure to interfere with a Network Member’s normal access to the Network Content.

e)       Payment of dues and renewal of membership

(i)                   Upon approval as a Network Member, Network Members will be provided, either by invoice or electronically, an invoice for membership dues stipulating the membership period and the amount due for such period. Dues from Network Members are due immediately upon invoicing, and no access to the bio-era Network will be provided in advance of receipt of payment.    Membership as a Network Member is automatically renewed upon the expiration of the membership period and dues are due upon renewal.  The amount of dues from any Network Member may be changed by bio-era at the time of renewal, based upon the qualifications and status of the Network Member.