Colour as a pharmaceutical trade dress
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Transcript of Colour as a pharmaceutical trade dress
CHENNAI3rd Floor, ‘Creative Enclave’,
148-150, Luz Church Road,Mylapore,
Chennai - 600 004.Tel: +91 - 44 - 2498 4821
BANGALORE Suite 920, Level 9,
Raheja Towers,26-27, M G Road,
Bangalore - 560 001.Tel: +91 - 80 - 6546 2400
COIMBATORE#1533, Trichy Road,
Coimbatore – 641018.Tel: +91 - 422 - 6552921
HYDERABADSuite 132 & 133,
Level 1, Midtown, Road No 1, Banjara Hills,
Hyderabad - 500034. Tel: +91 - 40 - 6050 6009
WEBSITEwww.altacit.com
COLOUR AS A
PHARMACEUTICAL
TRADE DRESS
Vallabie. H. S
CHENNAI3rd Floor, ‘Creative Enclave’,
148-150, Luz Church Road,Mylapore,
Chennai - 600 004.Tel: +91 - 44 - 2498 4821
BANGALORE Suite 920, Level 9,
Raheja Towers,26-27, M G Road,
Bangalore - 560 001.Tel: +91 - 80 - 6546 2400
COIMBATORE#1533, Trichy Road,
Coimbatore – 641018.Tel: +91 - 422 - 6552921
HYDERABADSuite 132 & 133,
Level 1, Midtown, Road No 1, Banjara Hills,
Hyderabad - 500034. Tel: +91 - 40 - 6050 6009
WEBSITEwww.altacit.com
WHAT IS TRADE DRESS ?
‘Trade Dress’ is a concept that underlies labeling and packaging for the industry; With respect to our topic it will be pertained to pharmaceutical industry.
Broadly defined, ‘Trade dress is anything that is capable of carrying a meaning’
The imperativeness of Trade dress are important part of the culture of the company.
It is important to show the distinctiveness, kind and quality of the product.
Color coding is one such type to show distinctiveness
CHENNAI3rd Floor, ‘Creative Enclave’,
148-150, Luz Church Road,Mylapore,
Chennai - 600 004.Tel: +91 - 44 - 2498 4821
BANGALORE Suite 920, Level 9,
Raheja Towers,26-27, M G Road,
Bangalore - 560 001.Tel: +91 - 80 - 6546 2400
COIMBATORE#1533, Trichy Road,
Coimbatore – 641018.Tel: +91 - 422 - 6552921
HYDERABADSuite 132 & 133,
Level 1, Midtown, Road No 1, Banjara Hills,
Hyderabad - 500034. Tel: +91 - 40 - 6050 6009
WEBSITEwww.altacit.com
COLOR CODING
Color coding is the differentiation of a product based on the colors.
Though the Trademark act does not specifically provide any protection for the color mark, it does give protection if it satisfies the two tests, i.e., the functionality and the distinctiveness
CHENNAI3rd Floor, ‘Creative Enclave’,
148-150, Luz Church Road,Mylapore,
Chennai - 600 004.Tel: +91 - 44 - 2498 4821
BANGALORE Suite 920, Level 9,
Raheja Towers,26-27, M G Road,
Bangalore - 560 001.Tel: +91 - 80 - 6546 2400
COIMBATORE#1533, Trichy Road,
Coimbatore – 641018.Tel: +91 - 422 - 6552921
HYDERABADSuite 132 & 133,
Level 1, Midtown, Road No 1, Banjara Hills,
Hyderabad - 500034. Tel: +91 - 40 - 6050 6009
WEBSITEwww.altacit.com
color coding in pharmaceutical dressing
The concept of color coding started in the early 90’s when the nurses accidently injected concentrated Potassium chloride assuming it to be a diluted drug in the bodies of the patients, who as a result of overdose, had to die. To temporarily solve this problem, the Abbot Laboratories, decided to place a black lid on the concentrated Potassium chloride so that the nurses wouldn’t get confused. The problem was solved and the death rate due to this misappropriation of drugs was reduced.
But the potential problem of colors started then on, where they couldn’t change the practice of placing a black lid, because it was already established in the minds of the nurses that the black lid indicated a particular drug.
CHENNAI3rd Floor, ‘Creative Enclave’,
148-150, Luz Church Road,Mylapore,
Chennai - 600 004.Tel: +91 - 44 - 2498 4821
BANGALORE Suite 920, Level 9,
Raheja Towers,26-27, M G Road,
Bangalore - 560 001.Tel: +91 - 80 - 6546 2400
COIMBATORE#1533, Trichy Road,
Coimbatore – 641018.Tel: +91 - 422 - 6552921
HYDERABADSuite 132 & 133,
Level 1, Midtown, Road No 1, Banjara Hills,
Hyderabad - 500034. Tel: +91 - 40 - 6050 6009
WEBSITEwww.altacit.com
After much haphazard the tribunal and the FDA came to terms that color coding can be done, to avoid confusion and confusing names. (for eg,Novasc’ sounded like ‘Novane’).
And also Pfizer introduced the Viagra 1996 and it was a blue colored pill. Henceforth any blue diamond shaped pill was registered in the minds as Viagra.
At the same time, the Washington State Legislation proposed that every drug entering the state must have a color coded label. The FDA then suggested a gradual plan to make this a legislation.
CHENNAI3rd Floor, ‘Creative Enclave’,
148-150, Luz Church Road,Mylapore,
Chennai - 600 004.Tel: +91 - 44 - 2498 4821
BANGALORE Suite 920, Level 9,
Raheja Towers,26-27, M G Road,
Bangalore - 560 001.Tel: +91 - 80 - 6546 2400
COIMBATORE#1533, Trichy Road,
Coimbatore – 641018.Tel: +91 - 422 - 6552921
HYDERABADSuite 132 & 133,
Level 1, Midtown, Road No 1, Banjara Hills,
Hyderabad - 500034. Tel: +91 - 40 - 6050 6009
WEBSITEwww.altacit.com
Nevertheless, there were enormous challenges pertaining to the color due to the limited and conflicting range of colors.
The pharmaceutical industries later started focusing on the design of drugs themselves. The court gave protection to ‘inherently distinctive’ features of trade dressing.
One such landmark case law, is discussed below:
CHENNAI3rd Floor, ‘Creative Enclave’,
148-150, Luz Church Road,Mylapore,
Chennai - 600 004.Tel: +91 - 44 - 2498 4821
BANGALORE Suite 920, Level 9,
Raheja Towers,26-27, M G Road,
Bangalore - 560 001.Tel: +91 - 80 - 6546 2400
COIMBATORE#1533, Trichy Road,
Coimbatore – 641018.Tel: +91 - 422 - 6552921
HYDERABADSuite 132 & 133,
Level 1, Midtown, Road No 1, Banjara Hills,
Hyderabad - 500034. Tel: +91 - 40 - 6050 6009
WEBSITEwww.altacit.com
AstraZeneca, a Bio Pharmaceutical Company, sued Dr.
Reddy in the Delaware Court over their purple “Nexium” a
generic version of their original pills, conflicting to the
former’s pills.
The Court issued temporary injunction to stop the
production of the pills, Dr. Reddy later countersued stating
that they had made their intentions to use the purple color
well known in their earlier settlement with the opponent in
2011.
CHENNAI3rd Floor, ‘Creative Enclave’,
148-150, Luz Church Road,Mylapore,
Chennai - 600 004.Tel: +91 - 44 - 2498 4821
BANGALORE Suite 920, Level 9,
Raheja Towers,26-27, M G Road,
Bangalore - 560 001.Tel: +91 - 80 - 6546 2400
COIMBATORE#1533, Trichy Road,
Coimbatore – 641018.Tel: +91 - 422 - 6552921
HYDERABADSuite 132 & 133,
Level 1, Midtown, Road No 1, Banjara Hills,
Hyderabad - 500034. Tel: +91 - 40 - 6050 6009
WEBSITEwww.altacit.com
To par with the triumph, AstraZeneca had to show
distinctiveness and that the likelihood of Consumer
confusion exist. Because “Nexium” is a pill that is to be
consumed or sold on a doctors prescription.
The case is still proceeding in the Delaware Court.
Although less is known about the notification of Dr.
Reddy’s to switch over to blue from purple.
CHENNAI3rd Floor, ‘Creative Enclave’,
148-150, Luz Church Road,Mylapore,
Chennai - 600 004.Tel: +91 - 44 - 2498 4821
BANGALORE Suite 920, Level 9,
Raheja Towers,26-27, M G Road,
Bangalore - 560 001.Tel: +91 - 80 - 6546 2400
COIMBATORE#1533, Trichy Road,
Coimbatore – 641018.Tel: +91 - 422 - 6552921
HYDERABADSuite 132 & 133,
Level 1, Midtown, Road No 1, Banjara Hills,
Hyderabad - 500034. Tel: +91 - 40 - 6050 6009
WEBSITEwww.altacit.com
the law
In general, foreign jurisdictions disallow the registration of single color mark
In India too, it is difficult to register a single trademark. Although the Trademark Act does not expressly prohibit the same, the Indian Courts in the preceding cases have not allowed registering a single mark.
CHENNAI3rd Floor, ‘Creative Enclave’,
148-150, Luz Church Road,Mylapore,
Chennai - 600 004.Tel: +91 - 44 - 2498 4821
BANGALORE Suite 920, Level 9,
Raheja Towers,26-27, M G Road,
Bangalore - 560 001.Tel: +91 - 80 - 6546 2400
COIMBATORE#1533, Trichy Road,
Coimbatore – 641018.Tel: +91 - 422 - 6552921
HYDERABADSuite 132 & 133,
Level 1, Midtown, Road No 1, Banjara Hills,
Hyderabad - 500034. Tel: +91 - 40 - 6050 6009
WEBSITEwww.altacit.com
Further, Indian Courts do not recognize a specific color code for pharmaceutical industry, the court stated that, the medicines are not bought by the consumer based on the colors, be it red, blue, peace, yellow or whatever. The medicines are bought by the prescription given by the doctor and the distinctiveness comes with names and not the color or shape of the medicines.
CHENNAI3rd Floor, ‘Creative Enclave’,
148-150, Luz Church Road,Mylapore,
Chennai - 600 004.Tel: +91 - 44 - 2498 4821
BANGALORE Suite 920, Level 9,
Raheja Towers,26-27, M G Road,
Bangalore - 560 001.Tel: +91 - 80 - 6546 2400
COIMBATORE#1533, Trichy Road,
Coimbatore – 641018.Tel: +91 - 422 - 6552921
HYDERABADSuite 132 & 133,
Level 1, Midtown, Road No 1, Banjara Hills,
Hyderabad - 500034. Tel: +91 - 40 - 6050 6009
WEBSITEwww.altacit.com
Color trademark apply to unique
situations because it is not possible to permit every business to own their color, otherwise there will be color depletion.
Hence, only unique colors are protected
CHENNAI3rd Floor, ‘Creative Enclave’,
148-150, Luz Church Road,Mylapore,
Chennai - 600 004.Tel: +91 - 44 - 2498 4821
BANGALORE Suite 920, Level 9,
Raheja Towers,26-27, M G Road,
Bangalore - 560 001.Tel: +91 - 80 - 6546 2400
COIMBATORE#1533, Trichy Road,
Coimbatore – 641018.Tel: +91 - 422 - 6552921
HYDERABADSuite 132 & 133,
Level 1, Midtown, Road No 1, Banjara Hills,
Hyderabad - 500034. Tel: +91 - 40 - 6050 6009
WEBSITEwww.altacit.com
CHENNAI3rd Floor, ‘Creative Enclave’,
148-150, Luz Church Road,Mylapore,
Chennai - 600 004.Tel: +91 - 44 - 2498 4821
BANGALORE Suite 920, Level 9,
Raheja Towers,26-27, M G Road,
Bangalore - 560 001.Tel: +91 - 80 - 6546 2400
COIMBATORE#1533, Trichy Road,
Coimbatore – 641018.Tel: +91 - 422 - 6552921
HYDERABADSuite 132 & 133,
Level 1, Midtown, Road No 1, Banjara Hills,
Hyderabad - 500034. Tel: +91 - 40 - 6050 6009
WEBSITEwww.altacit.com
CHENNAI3rd Floor, ‘Creative Enclave’,
148-150, Luz Church Road,Mylapore,
Chennai - 600 004.Tel: +91 - 44 - 2498 4821
BANGALORE Suite 920, Level 9,
Raheja Towers,26-27, M G Road,
Bangalore - 560 001.Tel: +91 - 80 - 6546 2400
COIMBATORE#1533, Trichy Road,
Coimbatore – 641018.Tel: +91 - 422 - 6552921
HYDERABADSuite 132 & 133,
Level 1, Midtown, Road No 1, Banjara Hills,
Hyderabad - 500034. Tel: +91 - 40 - 6050 6009
WEBSITEwww.altacit.com
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