Purpose and Use

This pedagogical resource provides basic information about four types of legally protected intellectual property (Copyright, Patent, Trademark, and Trade Secret) and their significance to the life sciences and pharmacy industries. For each of the four types (see links at the lower portion of the column on the left) it offers four informational segments  best explored in the order in which they are presented:

  • Fundamentals
  • Examples in life sciences and pharmacy
  • Review your understanding
  • Additional Resources

When you believe you have a good high-level understanding of the four types of intellectual property, and their relevance to the life sciences and pharmacy fields, work on TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE. This segment will present more challenging hypotheticals than those in the REVIEW YOUR UNDERSTANDING segments. It will posit scenarios that may involve more than one type of IP, and challenge you to identify not only the various forms of IP they imply, but also whether it is possible or  beneficial to choose one form over another, or pursue more than one type of protection for the same IP. Once you have mastered the challenges of this segment you will be well positioned to impress your company or institution’s legal counsel and, who knows, you might contemplate sitting for the LSAT along with the MCAT or PCAT!