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    • .pharmacy

    Generic top-level domainsIDNDNSSEC

    Overview

    .pharmacy is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) launched and operated by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). Its stated purpose is to provide consumers a way to identify safe, legal and ethical online pharmacies and related resources, creating a trusted namespace for legitimate internet pharmacies.

    History

    • .pharmacy was applied for through ICANN's New gTLD Program; the application was revealed on 13 June 2012.
    • NABP received a Registry Agreement signed by ICANN on 19 June 2014.
    • The string .pharmacy was delegated to the DNS root zone on 5 September 2014, completing the successful application and launch.
    • NABP formed a coalition of pharmacy organizations and verification partners to support the initiative, including international pharmacy bodies and industry stakeholders.

    Usage and Audience

    • Intended registrants and audience:
      • Legitimate online pharmacies that meet applicable regulatory standards.
      • Pharmacy associations, chain drug stores, and pharmacy-related organizations.
      • Consumers seeking verified, safe sources for prescription and over-the-counter medications online.
    • Partner and stakeholder organizations mentioned in the initiative include the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), LegitScript, and industry participants.

    Registration Rules

    • Registrations are subject to a vetting and validation process prior to approval.
    • Registrants are expected to meet applicable regulatory standards, including:
      • Pharmacy licensure in jurisdictions where they are based and operate.
      • Drug authenticity measures.
      • Valid prescription requirements where applicable.
    • Domain names are intended to correspond to a registered trademark, service mark, or business/trade name for the registrant.
    • Generic terms and geographic names were planned to be initially reserved or allocated for development of information portals rather than immediately available for general registration.
    • All domain names within .pharmacy are subject to suspension or cancellation for violations of registration terms; the registry planned to incorporate active and passive safeguards to enforce compliance.

    SEO and Brand Impact

    • The registry positions .pharmacy as a trusted, hierarchical namespace intended to build consumer recognition and confidence in legitimate online pharmacies.
    • NABP and its coalition emphasized seeding the zone with authoritative content and information portals to drive traffic and establish trust quickly after launch.
    • The controlled, vetted nature of registrations is intended to support brand positioning as a marker of legitimacy and safety for online pharmacy services.

    Notable Cases or Examples

    • NABP research cited in the initiative reviewed more than 10,800 websites selling prescription drugs and reported that nearly 97% did not follow pharmacy laws and standards, motivating the creation of the gTLD.
    • The impartiality of the .pharmacy project was questioned because major pharmaceutical companies such as Eli Lilly, Merck, and Pfizer were among the main contributors to the NABP application.
    • The application faced challenges from organizations including Public Citizen, Knowledge Ecology International, and the Canadian International Pharmacy Association.
    • Official registry site used for the initiative: https://safe.pharmacy/

    Operator

    National Association of Boards of Pharmacy

    Whois

    % IANA WHOIS server
% for more information on IANA, visit http://www.iana.org
% This query returned 1 object

domain:       PHARMACY

organisation: National Association of Boards of Pharmacy
address:      1600 Feehanville Drive
address:      Mount Prospect IL 60056
address:      United States of America (the)

contact:      administrative
name:         TLD Registry Services Management
organisation: Nominet
address:      Minerva House
address:      Edmund Halley Road
address:      Oxford Science Park
address:      Oxford OX4 4DQ
address:      United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the)
phone:        +44.1865332211
e-mail:       registrymanagement@nominet.uk

contact:      technical
name:         TLD Registry Services Technical
organisation: Nominet
address:      Minerva House
address:      Edmund Halley Road
address:      Oxford Science Park
address:      Oxford OX4 4DQ
address:      United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the)
phone:        +44.1865332211
e-mail:       registrytechnical@nominet.uk

nserver:      DNS1.NIC.PHARMACY 213.248.219.45 2a01:618:403:0:0:0:0:45
nserver:      DNS2.NIC.PHARMACY 103.49.83.45 2401:fd80:403:0:0:0:0:45
nserver:      DNS3.NIC.PHARMACY 213.248.223.45 2a01:618:407:0:0:0:0:45
nserver:      DNS4.NIC.PHARMACY 2401:fd80:407:0:0:0:0:45 43.230.51.45
nserver:      DNSA.NIC.PHARMACY 156.154.100.3 2001:502:ad09:0:0:0:0:3
nserver:      DNSB.NIC.PHARMACY 156.154.101.3 2001:502:2eda:0:0:0:0:3
nserver:      DNSC.NIC.PHARMACY 156.154.102.3 2610:a1:1009:0:0:0:0:3
nserver:      DNSD.NIC.PHARMACY 156.154.103.3 2610:a1:1010:0:0:0:0:3
ds-rdata:     13921 8 2 d24b9704b0642e8d9ea7cf6418c9212883ecd172c5651e89501c04724da8ac00

whois:        

status:       ACTIVE
remarks:      Registration information:
remarks:      https://nabp.pharmacy/programs/accreditations-inspections/dotpharmacy/

created:      2014-08-28
changed:      2025-05-28
source:       IANA

    Registrars