DTC Domains: ‘Get ‘em while they’re hot!’
Tomorrow, Epik.com will auction off a coveted batch of personal genomics-themed domain names. Titles will include "DNASequencing.com", "GenomeCode.com", "GeneticDoctor.com" and several others. These lots represent nothing less than golden real estate for biotech marketers and are sure to cause a stir among companies and investors alike.
Have a look at the press release and a complete list of domains for sale.
Might the release of these domains indicate a tipping point for the personal genomics industry? Will private, online, and "do-it-yourself" genetic testing and analysis become biotech's new silver bullets that venture capital investors will, in familiar form, pounce on?
If DTC gene testing is left unregulated in the hands of online marketers, any future potential it has for improving personal health could easily morph into a springboard for promoting genetic determinism in a big way.
In such a case, we could only hope that Epik's next auction won't feature the likes of MyDNABetterThanYours.com or PureGenome.net. Frankly, I'm too afraid to check if they already exist.