.heart

Status:	Proposed
Registry Provider:	Afilias
Type:	Generic
Category:	Health
More information:

.heart is a proposed TLD in ICANN's New gTLD Program. The applicant is American Heart Association, Inc.

The application was issued a GAC Early Warning from the representative of Australia and GAC Chair, Heather Dryden. The warning system is noted as a strong recommendation on behalf of national governments to the ICANN Board that a given TLD application should be denied as it stands. Applicants are encouraged to work with objecting GAC members.

The warning states that the applicant is "seeking exclusive access to a common generic string .. that relates to a broad market sector," which Ms. Dryden notes could have unintended consequences and a negative impact on competition.

Application Details

The following is excerpted from the applicant's response to question #18:

"The mission of the .HEART TLD is to provided a unified and consistent communications and fundraising platform which will be used to communicate and carryout the American Heart Associationʹs mission of saving people from heart disease.

Under the unified and consistent communications, fundraising and advocacy platform of .heart, the American Heart Association will aggregate its many educational and fundraising campaigns, promote and publicize outstanding research of cardiovascular disease, make accessible information about hospitals and local centers providing a high standard of care for heart disease, promote heart-healthy campaigns by corporations, and recognize outstanding contributions to the AHA mission.

AHA was founded in 1924 by six cardiologists in New York. We relocated our current headquarters to Dallas, Texas, in 1975. AHA is proud to be the oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting cardiovascular diseases in the United States. Since 1949, we have funded more than $3.3. billion in research on cardiovascular disease, more research than any organization in the US outside the federal government. We have 150 local offices, 2600 employees, and 22.5 million volunteers and supporters, all of whom will be served by the .HEART platform.

More than 82 million people around the world suffer from one or more forms of cardiovascular disease, and heart disease is Americaʹs No. 1 killer – killing more than 813,000 Americans annually, and many more worldwide. The .HEART TLD will serve as a united platform to allow us to aggregate all of our campaigns, communication, education, research and key stakeholders in a unified and consistent way that will directly advance our aggressive health goal of reducing heart disease in the US by 20% by 2020 and saving people worldwide from heart disease.

..

The .HEART TLD is envisioned as a restricted namespace. Registrations in the .HEART TLD will bring together organizations, institutions and individuals whose work furthers our goals and mission specifically:

• hospitals following the “Get with the Guidelines” program of cardiovascular care;
• top-tier donors whose donations fund research and education to prevent and treat heart disease;
• local centers in the US and around the world providing CPR and emergency cardiovascular care following AHA education and training;
• instructors and individuals who have received certification for CPR and ECC following AHA programs:
• corporations supporting AHAʹs campaigns and earning the “heart-healthy” certification;
• universities and schools engaged in AHA-supported cardiovascular research;
• scientific institutions who are members of AHA;
• individuals engaged with AHA through journals, meetings and professional education; and
• our corporate campaigns to raise money for research and education."

Governmental Advisory Committee. Considers and provides advice on the activities of ICANN as they relate to concerns of governments, particularly matters where there may be an interaction between ICANN's policies and various laws and international agreements or where they may affect public policy issues (ICANN Bylaws).

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