1. Introduction

Welcome to Virtual Patient AI ("we", "our", or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring transparency regarding how we handle information when you use our mobile application and related services.

By downloading, accessing, or using Virtual Patient AI, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information to provide, maintain, and enhance your clinical learning experience:

• Account & Authentication Information: When you register or sign in via third-party providers (such as Google Sign-In or Sign in with Apple), we receive basic identifiers such as your user ID, email address, and display name.
• Simulation & Chat Data: Questions, dialog entries, clinical reasoning choices, and chat conversations you exchange with AI virtual patient cases.
• Subscriptions & Purchases: If you subscribe to Virtual Patient AI Plus, transactions are processed directly and securely by Apple (via the App Store). We do not store, process, or have access to your credit card or financial payment details.
• Device & Usage Data: Technical information including device model, operating system version, app version, language preference, crash logs, and general performance diagnostics to ensure smooth operation.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• To simulate realistic clinical conversations and generate context-aware patient responses.
• To track your case completion history, learning progress, and clinical performance.
• To authenticate your identity and synchronize your saved progress across your devices.
• To manage and verify your active subscription status (Virtual Patient AI Plus).
• To analyze app performance, fix crashes, and improve overall educational case quality.

4. Third-Party Services & AI Processing

We utilize trusted third-party service providers to facilitate app functionality:

• Google Firebase: Used for secure cloud authentication, database synchronization (Cloud Firestore), and operational stability.
• Apple Inc.: Handles "Sign in with Apple" authentication and all in-app subscription billing via StoreKit.
• AI Model Inference Providers: Case dialog inputs are transmitted securely to advanced Large Language Model (LLM) APIs to generate simulated patient responses. Data sent for inference is processed securely and is not sold to third-party advertisers.

5. Data Storage, Security & Retention

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational security measures, including HTTPS/TLS encryption in transit, to protect your personal data from unauthorized access, alteration, or disclosure.

Local progress and session logs may be cached directly on your device (SQLite / SharedPreferences) for offline capability and responsiveness. We retain your information for as long as your account remains active or as needed to provide you with the service.

6. Your Rights & Account Deletion

You have the right to access, update, or request the deletion of your personal data at any time.

In compliance with Apple App Store guidelines, you can request account deletion directly within the application via Account / Settings → Delete Account, or by reaching out to us via email. Upon request, all associated personal account data and simulation records will be permanently deleted from our servers.

7. Children's Privacy

Virtual Patient AI is designed for medical students, healthcare trainees, and clinical professionals. The service is not directed to individuals under the age of 13 (or under 16 in the European Union), and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy periodically. We will notify you of any material changes by updating the "Effective Date" at the top of this policy and publishing the revised version within the app or on our hosted policy URL.

9. Contact Us

If you have any questions, feedback, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data privacy, please contact us: