Terms and Conditions of Use (TCU)

Please read these terms and conditions of use before using TITAN.

By accessing the TITAN online tool (hereinafter referred to as "the Tool"), you agree to be bound by these Terms and conditions of use (hereinafter referred to as "the Terms").

1. Purpose of the service

The Tool is an online platform design assistant that provides structured guidance to researchers for planning and conducting target trial emulations.

The Tool provides warnings and suggestions to potentially minimize avoidable biases and major methodological errors. It also generates a synthesis that includes a summary of the target trial, design of its emulation, and potential biases with proposed solutions.

The Tool is developed and administered by the Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics – Université Paris Cité (hereinafter referred to as "the Centre" or "the Publisher").

2. Account creation and access

Access to the Tool requires the creation of a user account (hereinafter "the User"). When registering, the User must provide accurate and up-to-date information (surname, first name, affiliation, function, email address).

The User is solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their login details and for any activity carried out via their account.

The Publisher reserves the right to restrict, suspend or terminate access to the Tool in the event of non-compliance with these Terms.

3. Main features

The Tool allows the User to:

• define the research question;
• define components of the research question;
• design the emulation using observational data;
• consult the warnings and suggestions of the Tool;
• export a synthesis in Word format (.docx).

The User is responsible for the content and the use of the Tool.

4. Administrator access and confidentiality

Access to project content is strictly limited to registered users.

However, a super administrator designated by the Centre may access the data solely for the purposes of technical maintenance, incident resolution or security checks.

All access is logged, traceable and subject to a strict confidentiality obligation.

The Publisher undertakes never to read, use or disclose the content of projects, except where required by law.

5. Data security, hosting and legal compliance

Data is hosted on secure servers located in France by service providers that comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR – EU Regulation 2016/679) and French Law No. 78-17 of 6 January 1978, as amended, in particular by Law 2024-449 specifying security and territoriality obligations.

The Publisher implements all reasonable technical and organisational measures to ensure the security, integrity and confidentiality of data, without guaranteeing absolute security against unauthorised access, alteration or loss of data.

In the event of a data breach (or security incident) that could pose a risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals, the Publisher undertakes to notify the competent supervisory authority (CNIL in France) and, where applicable, the individuals concerned, within the required time frame, in accordance with the applicable regulations.

6. Intellectual property

The User retains all intellectual property rights to the content they create or write via the Tool.

The Publisher does not acquire any rights to this content, except for a limited and temporary technical license necessary for its hosting and display in the Tool.

7. Data retention and deletion

Manuscripts and associated information are retained for a maximum period of five (5) years after their last update, unless the User requests their early deletion.

The User may request the complete deletion of their account and associated data at any time by contacting: titan@clinicalepidemio.fr

Deletion results in the permanent erasure of data from active and backup servers, unless otherwise required by law.

8. User responsibilities

The User undertakes to:

• use the Tool solely for lawful and scientific purposes;
• not to store personal data concerning third parties without legal basis or consent;
• not host content that is illegal, defamatory or contrary to scientific ethics;
• make regular backups of their manuscripts using the export option.

9. Limitation of liability

The Tool is provided "as is" and "as available".

The Publisher does not guarantee the continuity of the service, the absence of errors, or compatibility with all IT environments.

The Publisher shall not be liable for:

• any improper use of the Tool;
• any loss or corruption of data attributable to the User;
• any unauthorised access despite reasonable security measures;
• any indirect damage (including loss of data, loss of profit, damage to reputation, etc.).

10. Availability and maintenance

The Publisher endeavours to ensure continuous access to the Tool but reserves the right to temporarily suspend the service for maintenance, updates or security reasons.

The Publisher shall not be liable for any temporary unavailability.

11. Modification of the Terms

The Centre reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time.

Users will be informed of any substantial changes by means of a notification on the website.

Continued use of the Tool after the publication of an update constitutes acceptance of the new Terms.

12. Termination

The User may terminate their account at any time by contacting: titan@clinicalepidemio.fr

The Publisher may suspend or terminate an account in the event of a breach of these Terms.

Termination shall not affect any rights acquired prior to the date of deletion.

13. Applicable law and jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by French law.

Any dispute relating to their interpretation or execution shall fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts of Paris, unless otherwise required by law.

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Privacy Policy

Last update: December 4, 2025

The Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (hereinafter referred to as "the Centre") attaches paramount importance to the protection of the personal data of users of the Tool.

This policy describes the principles applied in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR – EU Regulation 2016/679) and French Law No. 78-17 of 6 January 1978, as amended, relating to information technology, files and freedoms, as amended in particular by Law No. 2024-449 of 21 May 2024 aimed at securing and regulating the digital space.

1. Data collected

When registering, the following data may be collected:

• surname and first name;
• affiliation;
• function;
• e-mail address;
• consent to use the service.

This information is necessary for the creation and management of the user account.

2. Use of data

The data collected is used to:

• enable access to and use of the Tool;
• ensure the security of the service;
• improve the quality and performance of the platform;
• communicate with users in the event of updates or technical issues.

No personal data is sold, shared or used for commercial purposes.

3. Cookies

The Tool uses technical cookies necessary for its proper functioning (session management, security).

No advertising or external tracking cookies are used.

Users can disable cookies via their browser, but this may limit certain features.

4. Storage and hosting

The data is hosted on secure servers located in France, managed by service providers that comply with the GDPR.

The Centre remains responsible for data processing.

5. Retention period

Account data and manuscripts are retained for a maximum of five (5) years after last use, unless explicitly requested to be deleted.

Beyond this period, they are automatically deleted.

6. User rights

In accordance with the GDPR, all users have the following rights:

• right of access;
• right to rectification;
• right to erasure ("right to be forgotten");
• right to restriction of processing;
• right to object.

To exercise these rights, you can write to: titan@clinicalepidemio.fr

A response will be provided within one (1) month from receipt of the request.

You may also contact the Data Protection Officer (DPO) of Université Paris Cité: https://u-paris.fr/le-delegue-a-la-protection-des-donnees/

In this case, a response will be provided by the DPO of Université Paris Cité as soon as possible.

7. Policy changes

The Centre reserves the right to modify this policy to comply with any legal, regulatory or technical developments.

Any changes will be published on the website, with the date of the update indicated.