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Lipitor Patents Article
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Trademarks and Copyrights
from: Lee AsherSo you've put all this work into your business: you've got a
name, you've made some marketing materials, even written some
things for your customers. If you don't want your competitors to
be able to take what you've done and exploit it, though, you're
going to need to take some steps to protect yourself.
What's in a Name?
Your name is one of the most important assets your business has
-- it's how your customers identify you. Knowing your name is
the first step to trusting you and recommending you to others.
But what can you do if you're afraid that someone else might
start using your name, or simply start another company with a
similar enough name to confuse people?
The answer is that you can register a trademark. A trademark is
a word or logo that distinguishes one thing from another, and
you have the right to register any names or logos your business
uses, in order to stop other people from using them. Coca-Cola,
for example, is a trademark of the Coca-Cola Company -- if I
start selling my own drink and calling it 'Coca-Cola', or even
something like 'Cocoa-Cooler', then they have grounds to sue me.
Making Your Mark
You can trademark both your business' name as well as the names
of any products you sell. The only condition is that they can't
be too similar to names that someone has already trademarked,
and you can't usually trademark words that are in common use.
It costs a few hundred dollars to register a trademark, and you
can do it through the patent office. It can be a waste of money
to trademark too many words, so you should only bother with it
if you think one of your names could be threatened by
competitors.
Once you get your trademark, it's yours -- you can do whatever
you want with it, including giving others permission to use it
or selling it to them. Remember, though, that your trademark
usually only applies in the country where you registered it --
you will not usually be protected from competition where foreign
businesses are using your trademark. Also, your right to use the
trademark will only last for a set number of years (usually a
decade from the date of registration). After this time, you will
have to pay again to renew it.
Don't Copy Me
Copyrights are similar to trademarks in terms of the kind of
protection they offer, but different in how they work. In almost
all countries, ownership of copyright is automatic, and costs
nothing. The moment you write (or draw, or record) something,
you own the copyright on it, and can take action against anyone
who makes a copy of it without your permission. This article
you're reading right now, for example, has the automatic
copyright. If you decided to copy it without permission and put
it on your own website, then that would be illegal. Not that you
would do such a thing, of course.
It is possible to own the copyright on almost anything that
exists but isn't physical: music, graphics, writing, computer
programs, and so on. It does not, however, cover physical things
(that's patents), nor does it cover names (that's trademarks).
A copyright lasts longer than a trademark: typically it lasts
until you die, and then a set number of years after that,
depending on your country and the kind of thing that was
copyrighted. After the end of this time, the work becomes
'public domain', free for anyone to use.
Of course, copyright is a right, not something that you
absolutely must go along with. If you want to give people
permission to freely use and redistribute something you've made,
then you have the legal right to do this. You can even give up
your copyright on a piece of work altogether, simply by writing
on it that you no longer want to own the copyright.
Since you're in business, though, the chances are that you'll
want more protection for your materials, not less. Look into
registering your copyright at the patent office, as doing this
will give you an even stronger case if you ever need to use it.
About the author:
Original Source:
Information supplied and written by Lee Asher of
Home of Serious Online Business Options.
Lipitor Patents News
Plavix Set to Lose Patent Protection - New York Times
Plavix Set to Lose Patent Protection New York Times It is the biggest name-brand drug to lose patent protection since Lipitor, made by Pfizer, encountered generic competition late last year. With the loss of patent protection for Plavix and Lipitor coming in such quick succession, “this year is a year ... Another one bites the dust: Plavix falls off patent today After a Sentence to Write Sentences, Dr. Bodnar Ends a Legal Chapter Pharmaceutical companies prepare as Plavix, other blockbuster drugs lose ... |
FDA Approves Generic Versions of Plavix - Wall Street Journal
 Plain Dealer | FDA Approves Generic Versions of Plavix Wall Street Journal The drug's $6.8 billion in US sales last year, as tallied by IMS Health, ranked second behind Pfizer Inc.'s Lipitor, which is used to treat high cholesterol. Plavix's US patent expired Thursday, clearing the way for generic versions of the drug, ... FDA Approves Generic Clopidogrels As Plavix Loses Patent Protection US FDA approves sale of generic Plavix |
Ind-Swift, Wockhardt launch Atorvastatin tablets in UK - Economic Times
 Moneycontrol.com | Ind-Swift, Wockhardt launch Atorvastatin tablets in UK Economic Times MUMBAI: Drug firm Ind-Swift Laboratories today said it has launched generic formulations of the world's best selling drug Atorvastatin in the UK in collaboration with Wockhardt UK on the first day of its patent expiry. Atorvastatin ( Lipitor), a drug ... Ind-Swift, Wockhardt launch generic Lipitor in UK |
Pfizer Races to Reinvent Itself - New York Times
 Atlanta Journal Constitution | Pfizer Races to Reinvent Itself New York Times Pfizer profited from hits like Lipitor and Viagra, and swallowed up smaller companies from the 1990s onward. But it has no immediate successor to Lipitor, the best-selling drug in history, which lost patent protection last fall. Pfizer profits solid despite Lipitor loss Drugmaker Pfizer's 1Q profit falls 19 pct on charges, 1st generic Lipitor ... Pfizer says on lookout for mid-size drug deals |
Pfizer Q1 Earnings Slump On Lipitor Patent Expiry - Forbes
 Thomson Reuters News & Insight | Pfizer Q1 Earnings Slump On Lipitor Patent Expiry Forbes [1] The results were heavily impacted by the loss of exclusivity in manufacturing cholesterol lowering drug, Lipitor, due to its patent expiry in the US Other key drugs Xalatan and Geodon also saw a drop in sales due to patent expiry. Next up in lead counsel wars: Lipitor antitrust MDL v. Pfizer A cheaper generic Lipitor is coming Lipitor expiry leads to 15% dip in Pfizer's US first-quarter sales |
Pfizer profits solid despite Lipitor loss - Baltimore Sun
 Financial Times | Pfizer profits solid despite Lipitor loss Baltimore Sun The global drugmaker said sales of Lipitor, which lost patent protection in November, fell 42 percent to $1.4 billion. "The story here is that Pfizer is dealing with its Lipitor patent loss surprisingly well," said Morningstar analyst Damien Conover. Pfizer feels impact of end to Lipitor patent Charges, generic Lipitor cut Pfizer Q1 net 19 pct Pfizer Q1 profit falls 19 pct on generic Lipitor |
Goodbye, Lipitor. Pfizer Bids a Farewell - Wall Street Journal
 Wall Street Journal | Goodbye, Lipitor. Pfizer Bids a Farewell Wall Street Journal By JONATHAN D. ROCKOFF Pfizer Inc. conducted an intriguing experiment in brand marketing this year, aggressively pushing the cholesterol-fighting drug Lipitor in the US even after its patent expired on Nov. 30. Associated Press But after spending more ... Atorvastatin Lifts Ranbaxy While Pfizer Abandons Its Lipitor Marketing Efforts Pfizer stops promoting Lipitor in US Lipitor clone delivers for Ranbaxy |