The recent news from Bing announcing that .pharmacy domain names are now seen as a sign of eligibility to advertise on the popular search platform is a significant show of confidence in the new Top-Level Domain program.
I sat down with Carmen A. Catizone, MS, RPh, DPh Executive Director of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) for online pharmacies and prescription-only medications to chat about the benefits this exciting new partnership and what it means for members and consumers.
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Sue Schuster: For the benefit of our readers, can you give us some background on what NABP is and why you decided to apply for .pharmacy Carmen?
Carmen Catizone: The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) was established in 1904 and is an impartial organization that assists its members, the pharmacy regulatory boards, to protect the public's health. We manage the pharmacist license transfer program and administer the pharmacist competency examinations required for licensure on behalf of the state boards of pharmacy. NABP's accreditation programs also cover the areas of Internet pharmacy, pharmacy wholesale distributers and pharmacies that dispense durable medical equipment and supplies.
We applied for the .pharmacy Top-Level Domain (TLD) to create a safe online environment where consumers could be confident that the websites where they buy medication or obtain information are safe and legitimate. NABP also sought to keep the TLD out of the hands of a third party that may turn a blind eye to illegal activities. We recognized .pharmacy as a way to turn the tide against sophisticated criminals who build authentic looking sites and can easily duplicate verification logos to trick unsuspecting consumers into thinking they are visiting a legitimate online pharmacy. With .pharmacy, the "seal of quality" is built into the URL.
Sue Schuster: So how would an organization go about getting a .pharmacy domain name?
Carmen Catizone: Before registering a .pharmacy domain name through a Registrar, eligible organizations must first complete and submit an online application and pay an application fee to NABP. We then review the application and existing or proposed website content for compliance with all program standards. If the organization's application is approved, the applicant receives an electronic alphanumeric token, which they must provide to one of NABP's contracted Registrars in order to register the requested URL. Compliance with program standards is monitored on an ongoing basis and approved sites must reapply annually in order to renew their registration.
Sue Schuster: What are the benefits of a .pharmacy namespace for registrants and patients?
Carmen Catizone: A .pharmacy domain guarantees consumers that they are purchasing their medication through a legitimate online pharmacy. Consumers will be able to tell just by looking at the URL if the site is safe — there is no need to do additional research or look for logos, nor can the .pharmacy URL be faked by a rogue website.
Sue Schuster: Recently it was announced that Bing has revised its online pharmacy advertising policy to recognize .pharmacy TLD as a sign of authenticity. Could you please explain how this will work, and what this decision means for .pharmacy, and for Internet users?
Carmen Catizone: Since 2010, Bing, along with Yahoo! and Google, has recognized NABP's accreditation and approval programs as the sole qualifier for advertising prescription drug terms. Bing Ads requires that all pharmaceutical advertisers in the United States or Canada, are accredited by the NABP. .pharmacy is the evolution of these programs, and Bing has formally recognized this domain name as an indicator of legitimacy. This partnership will see NABP and the global coalition that supports the .pharmacy domain program take huge strides in combatting illegal online drug sellers and keeping the public safe.
Sue Schuster: So what impact does this partnership have on the domain name industry in general?
Carmen Catizone: Bing's announcement underscores the value of not only .pharmacy but also other verified TLDs in the Internet community. An organization with verified domain names, like .pharmacy, .bank or .med, ensures that Registry operation programs standards are met prior to use of the domain name. This pre-verification demonstrates to the public that the products and services offered on a site using a verified TLD meet defined standards set by the Registry operator. In addition, search engines can rely on .pharmacy and other verified TLDs as a means to properly vet businesses before allowing them to advertise services in highly-regulated industries like pharmacy, medicine, or finance. From advertising to search, verified TLDs can be leveraged by search engines to ensure relevant and lawful businesses are displayed at the top of consumers' search results. This type of unique verification service is a great example of how new TLDs are changing the landscape of the Internet for the better and this partnership with Bing is a great endorsement of these benefits.
Sue Schuster: Could you talk us through the process of working on this important partnership, and importantly what Bing sees will be the benefits that it receives from supporting .pharmacy?
Carmen Catizone: .pharmacy is easy. You see .pharmacy in the domain name and you know that NABP has done the legwork to ensure that the website associated with this domain is legitimate, lawful, and meets Bing's advertising standards. It demonstrates the priority Bing places on consumer safety, and, potentially opens up new pharmacy advertising markets for Bing. Bing and other search engines can simply look to the right of the dot and know that this advertiser checks out in a given country without additional action on their part.
Sue Schuster: So what's next for .pharmacy? What is your focus for the future of the TLD?
Carmen Catizone: As .pharmacy enters its second year of general availability, the program has three primary focus areas. First, increase adoption of the .pharmacy TLD throughout the pharmacy community; second, encourage registrants to fully and actively utilize their .pharmacy domain names to demonstrate their commitment to safe online pharmacy; and third — and perhaps most importantly — help consumers to understand the dangers of buying medicine from unknown and unapproved sources over the Internet and to recognize that online pharmacies and pharmacy information sites with the .pharmacy domain name are legitimate and safe.
In the perfect scenario, .pharmacy becomes the standard for online pharmacy. That means, if your online presence is related to pharmacy, you have a .pharmacy domain name. If you are looking for pharmacy services or information, you look for a .pharmacy domain name. Consumers, health care professionals, and search engines alike will recognize .pharmacy as the place for safe online pharmacy.
Written by Sue Schuster, Client Engagement Manager, Registry Services at Neustar
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