American Society of Hirudotherapy

Accessibility Statement

Our commitment to digital accessibility for all users

Our Commitment

The American Society of Hirudotherapy (ASH) is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for people with disabilities. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone and applying the relevant accessibility standards.

We aim to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA. These guidelines explain how to make web content more accessible for people with disabilities and more user-friendly for everyone.

Accessibility Features

Navigation & Interaction

  • Skip-to-content link for keyboard users
  • Consistent navigation structure across all pages
  • Keyboard-accessible menus and interactive elements
  • Focus indicators on all interactive elements
  • ARIA landmarks for screen reader navigation

Visual Design

  • Color contrast ratios meeting WCAG AA standards (minimum 4.5:1 for text)
  • Responsive design supporting 320px to 4K screens
  • Text resizable up to 200% without loss of content
  • No information conveyed by color alone

Content Structure

  • Semantic HTML5 elements (header, nav, main, article, section)
  • Proper heading hierarchy (h1 through h6)
  • Descriptive alt text for all informational images
  • Data tables with proper headers and captions
  • Meaningful link text (no "click here")

Motion & Media

  • Reduced motion support via prefers-reduced-motion
  • No auto-playing media content
  • No content that flashes more than 3 times per second

Testing Methods

We use a combination of automated and manual testing methods:

  • Automated scanning — axe-core and Lighthouse audits for WCAG compliance
  • Keyboard testing — Full keyboard navigation testing across all pages
  • Screen reader — VoiceOver (macOS) and NVDA (Windows) testing
  • Responsive — Testing across multiple viewports and devices

Known Limitations

While we strive for full accessibility, some limitations currently exist:

  • Third-party embedded content (e.g., analytics scripts) may not meet all accessibility standards.
  • Some PDF documents may not be fully accessible. We are working to provide accessible alternatives.

We are actively working to resolve these limitations and improve the overall accessibility of our website.

Report an Accessibility Issue

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of the ASH website. If you encounter any accessibility barriers, please let us know.

Email: adokukin@leechmedicine.com

We aim to respond to accessibility feedback within 5 business days and to resolve issues within 30 days.

This website provides educational information and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Medicinal leech therapy carries clinically meaningful risks and should be performed only by qualified clinicians under institutionally approved protocols. FDA 510(k) clearance for medicinal leeches is limited to specific indications; investigational and off-label discussions are labeled accordingly. For patient-specific guidance, consult a qualified healthcare provider.