colour as a pharmaceutical trade dress

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COLOUR AS A

PHARMACEUTICAL

TRADE DRESS

Vallabie. H. S



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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



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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



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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.



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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.



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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:



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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.



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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.



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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.



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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.



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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



Chennai - 600 004.Tel: +91 - 44 - 2498 4821



Bangalore - 560 001.Tel: +91 - 80 - 6546 2400


Coimbatore – 641018.Tel: +91 - 422 - 6552921



Hyderabad - 500034. Tel: +91 - 40 - 6050 6009

[email protected]




Chennai - 600 004.Tel: +91 - 44 - 2498 4821



Bangalore - 560 001.Tel: +91 - 80 - 6546 2400


Coimbatore – 641018.Tel: +91 - 422 - 6552921



Hyderabad - 500034. Tel: +91 - 40 - 6050 6009

[email protected]


DISCLAIMER

Any copyrighted material in this presentation is used in fair use for the purpose of study, review or critical analysis only, and will be removed at the request of the copyright owner(s).

colour as a pharmaceutical trade dress

Law