National Cancer Institute
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   Service Notice | Privacy Notice | FAQ

  Get live, online assistance from the National Cancer Institute's
LiveHelp service:

  • LiveHelp does not provide medical advice
  • LiveHelp is confidential
  • To learn more about LiveHelp, click on the FAQ

LiveHelp for general cancer questions or assistance in navigating NCI Web sites
is available Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM Eastern Time.
Click on the button below for more information.

Cancer Information

LiveHelp for smoking cessation assistance
is available Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM Eastern Time.
Click on the button below for smoking cessation assistance.

Smoking Cessation Assistance

LiveHelp Service Notice

LiveHelp is a new program to provide information from the National Cancer Institute. We want to find out whether LiveHelp is a good way to serve the public. NCI Information Specialists on LiveHelp can give you information about cancer, but they are not health care providers. They do not provide medical advice. LiveHelp is not a substitute for talking with a health care professional.

LiveHelp Privacy Notice

LiveHelp users are anonymous. We cannot identify you, but you should not enter any information that is private. Although the National Cancer Institute has taken measures to protect your privacy, we cannot guarantee the security of any information you send over the Internet. We will review records of LiveHelp sessions for purposes of quality control and evaluation.

Frequently Asked Questions about the National Cancer Institute's (NCI's)
LiveHelp Service

Q:   Is there really a person on the other end?
A: Yes. NCI's LiveHelp Service is staffed by real people. By typing, you will have a live conversation with an Information Specialist.
Q:   Who are the people on the other end?
A: They are Information Specialists with knowledge of NCI information, publications, Web sites, as well as other information about cancer and cancer-related resources.
Q:   What kind of information is available through NCI's LiveHelp Service?
A: LiveHelp Information Specialists can answer your questions about cancer and provide help in navigating NCI Web sites. Information about how to stop smoking is also available.
Q:   Do the people on the other end know who I am?
A: No. NCI's LiveHelp Information Specialists will only know what Web page you were on when you clicked the LiveHelp button, and whatever you tell them. They have no way of getting any other information about you. However, you should not provide any information that identifies you. Information sent over the Internet may not be secure.
Q:   Can someone else on the Internet listen in?
A: No. The session is one-on-one only. NCI's LiveHelp Service is not a "chat room." In addition, your LiveHelp session is encrypted (similar to when you use a credit card on a Web page) for extra security.
Q:   Do I need additional software to use NCI's LiveHelp Service?
A: No. LiveHelp works within the browser on your computer.
Q:   Can I get a computer virus using NCI's LiveHelp Service?
A: No. LiveHelp can only send text to your computer, so it is impossible to send a virus.
Q:   Can I get the same information by telephone?
A: Yes. Within the United States, our Cancer Information Service, at 1-800-4-CANCER, is available to answer cancer-related questions Monday through Friday, from 9:00 to 4:30 local time.

 
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