Local man won't hold firm on Viagra

The Auckland pharmacist who has registered the domain name viagra.co.nz is in no mood for a battle with the holder of the high-profile drug's trademark, Pfizer. Kerry Bell registered the domain recently through @URL, the Internet consultants who designed his Airport Oaks online pharmacy. It's one of the names in the .nz domain which could come under the spotlight in the wake of the recent Oggi Advertising case

The Auckland pharmacist who has registered the domain name viagra.co.nz is in no mood for a battle with the holder of the high-profile drug's trademark, Pfizer.

Kerry Bell registered the domain recently through @URL, the Internet consultants who designed his Airport Oaks online pharmacy.

It's one of the names in the .nz domain which could come under the spotlight in the wake of the recent Oggi Advertising case, where domain name speculators were warned by a High Court judge they would have little chance of hanging onto trademarked names if legitimate trademark owners wanted them.

"If [Pfizer] came to me I'd willingly give it up," says Bell. "I've registered quite a few names, and I really don't know yet if it's worthwhile or not. I think as long as you put in the right keywords for search engines, you're fine, even if you don't have the domain name."

Bell's Website, www.pharmacycare.co.nz takes international orders for prescription medicines, vitamins and cosmetics, some of which are cheaper in New Zealand than in the US, but he says the site is still "a bit of hobby".

"We used to sell quite a bit of [hair restorer] Regaine, but that's gone over the counter in the States and they're dumping it on the market there," says Bell. "We're really building up to the market in maybe five or six years' time. We're looking at doing a shop quite soon. That'd be more for the New Zealand market. "