Disclaimer

This Disclaimer applies to all educational content made available by ESBICM through the ESBICM website (esbicm.org), the ESBICM Discussion Board (now an archive, closed to new registrations), The ICU App and its Community, the Mentorship Forum, the ESBICM Café, The ICU Channel on YouTube, the ESBICM channels on WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, X and other social-media platforms, the ESBICM Newsletter, ESBICM courses and webinars, and any other digital service, channel, platform or communication operated under the ESBICM name, whether existing today or established in future (together, the "Service").

This Disclaimer forms part of, and should be read together with, the ESBICM Terms of Use, the ESBICM Privacy Policy and the ESBICM Paid Services & Refund Policy.

By accessing or using any part of the Service, you confirm that you have read, understood and agree to this Disclaimer.

1. Educational Purpose

ESBICM is a non-commercial educational society. The Service exists to provide freely accessible and affordable bedside critical care education for healthcare professionals — doctors, nurses, paramedics and other healthcare professionals involved in the care of critically ill patients. All content on the Service — including lectures, videos, articles, case discussions, Community posts, social-media communications, course materials and any other educational material — is published for the purpose of continuing professional education, knowledge sharing and clinical learning.

2. Not Medical Advice

Nothing made available through the Service constitutes medical advice for any individual patient or clinical situation.

The content shared by ESBICM, by members of the ESBICM Global Critical Care Faculty Network, by contributors and by other users is general educational content. It is not a substitute for the independent clinical judgement of a treating clinician. Healthcare professionals using the Service must exercise their own clinical judgement, consider the specific circumstances of each patient, and consult appropriately qualified colleagues and current evidence when making any decision about patient care.

3. No Doctor–Patient Relationship

Use of the Service does not create a doctor–patient relationship between you and ESBICM, the Founder President, faculty, contributors or any other user, regardless of your role.

This applies in all directions: a member of the public reading ESBICM content does not become a patient of the Founder President or any contributor; a healthcare professional discussing a clinical scenario through the Service does not establish a treating relationship between any other professional and the patient described; sharing case details, clinical images or patient information through any channel — public or private, member-only or otherwise — does not create such a relationship.

4. Content Accuracy and Updates

Critical care medicine evolves rapidly. Guidelines change. Evidence is updated. Practices that were standard at one time may be revised or replaced.

Content on the Service represents the best understanding of its authors at the time of publication. ESBICM strives for accuracy, but content may become outdated over time. ESBICM is under no obligation to revise, retract or update content after publication. Users should always cross-reference content on the Service with current evidence, current clinical guidelines and local protocols before applying any of it to clinical practice.

5. Views of Authors and Contributors

Opinions expressed by faculty, contributors, Community members or any other user on the Service are their own. They do not necessarily represent the official position of ESBICM, the Founding Council, the Executive Committee or any institution with which the author may be affiliated, unless explicitly stated as an official ESBICM position.

Where official ESBICM positions are issued, they will be clearly identified as such and communicated through ESBICM's official channels in accordance with the ESBICM Organisational Structure & Standard Operating Procedures.

6. For the General Public

The Service is intended for healthcare professionals. Members of the public may, however, encounter ESBICM content — for instance, while browsing The ICU Channel on YouTube, the ESBICM website or social-media posts.

If you are not a healthcare professional and you read, watch or otherwise access content on the Service, please understand: the content is not intended to guide your personal medical decisions. You should not delay seeking professional medical advice because of anything you have read or watched on the Service. For any health concern, please consult a licensed physician in your community. If you believe you may be experiencing a medical emergency, contact your local emergency services immediately.

7. Acknowledgement

By accessing or using any part of the Service, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Disclaimer, and that you accept the educational nature of ESBICM's content and the limitations described above.

For questions about this Disclaimer, please contact the ESBICM Office at office@esbicm.org or through the contact form on esbicm.org.