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Letters to the Editor
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Domain names
Reply from
Jeremy Holmes, Chief Executive and Registrar, Royal Pharmaceutical
Society
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Society fudges issues that involve the business world
From Mr J. A. Schofield, MRPharmS
I was interested to see the complaint by Ashok
Jhalley (PJ,
12 April 2008, p437) where the name of his pharmacy had been purchased
by one of his
local competitors. Presumably this was not an act of charity on behalf
of the competitor. My naturally suspicious nature leads me to believe
it is likely that the process was instigated to prevent Mr Jhalley fairly
competing via the internet. If there is an honourable intention that
I have overlooked I apologise.
Mr Jhalley has been afforded a response
from Jeremy Holmes, Chief Executive
and Registrar at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, and it is full of useful
information about how Mr Jhalley may seek redress by negotiating with the domain
name purchaser or commencing legal action or arbitration proceedings. Mr Holmes
provides the names of suitable bodies Nominet and ICANN each of which offers
dispute resolution services.
However, my attention is drawn to the last paragraph of Mr Holmes’s contribution
in which he states: “The Society is of the view that the registration
of domain names in the circumstances outlined does not breach guidance in ‘Medicines
ethics and practice’.”
Who in the Society decided that the purchase of what might be considered Mr
Jhalley’s identity, possibly for the purpose of securing a commercial
advantage over him, but also leaving open the possibility of all manner of
nefarious activity, was not an ethical matter and was adequately dealt with
in the current MEP?
My own view is that Mr Jhalley has good cause to be concerned and, should it
happen to me I would be outraged at yet another example of the Society fudging
issues that involve the business world.
Tony Schofield
Jarrow, Tyne and Wear
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JEREMY HOLMES, Chief Executive and Registrar, Royal
Pharmaceutical Society, responds:
It is unfortunate Mr Schofield takes
the view that
the Society “fudges issues that involve the business world”.
I would like to
assure members this is not the case.
Based on the information contained in Mr Jhalley’s letter, the Society
took the view that this was a commercial dispute between two parties. The registration
of the domain names in these circumstances does not breach the Society’s
Medicines, Ethics and Practice (MEP) guidance. Having said that, the Society
has looked to provide Mr Jhalley with useful information about how this matter
might be resolved.
Members who have concerns about possible breaches of the content of the MEP
guidance should contact the Society’s fitness-to-practise team, who will
be able to deal with the complaint formally. The team can be contacted by writing
to
the Society’s London office or via e-mail at ftp@rpsgb.org.
FTP
also provide an information service to members which can be accessed by telephoning
020 7572
2408 |
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The
Pharmaceutical Journal