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Trademark Information

Providing Trademark Services for the Public Health Service

The identities of Public Health Service products and services are valuable assets and should be protected. Slogans, names, logos, graphics--anything you use to identify a product or a service may benefit from trademark protection. Find out how important it is to obtain a trademark and how easy it can be with the help of TTC.

Why do you need a trademark?

A trademark provides many benefits to an organization. Not only does a trademark aid in the promotion of products and services, but it also helps to protect the organization's reputation for quality. Benefits of a trademark include but are not limited to:

• Distinguishes your products and services from those of other organizations.
• Allows your organization to set and enforce high quality standards for those licensing your trademarked products and services.
• Prevents other organizations from placing your trademark, or one similar to it, on their products or services.

When do you need a trademark?

You want to name a product that will be distributed to the public.

Example: The National Cancer Institute trademarked PDQ®, a comprehensive cancer database, to help the medical community avoid confusing this database with those of other organizations providing similar databases.

You have a service that you want to promote to the public.

Example: The NCI Cancer Information Service, a telephone service providing cancer information to the public, was trademarked to help the public identify and access reliable cancer information from a single source.

You are interested in starting a certification program.

This is similar to the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval and is used when others want to use your logo on their products or services. Before they are permitted to use your trademarked logo, their products or services must meet a minimum standard of quality or a set of criteria as determined by your organization.

• You are interested in preventing another entity from using your mark, or one similar to it, in association with their goods or services.

TTC - Meeting all your Trademark needs!

Pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding with the NIH Office of General Counsel (OGC), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Technology Transfer Center (TTC) registers and protects trademarks for the Public Health Service. TTC's highly trained staff works closely with OGC to provide you with expert trademark advice and services tailored to meet your organization's needs. Services include but are not limited to:

• Advice on trademark selection.
• Searches of state-of-the-art trademark databases.
• Registration of a trademark.
• Training on how to effectively use and maintain a trademark.
• Licensing of trademarks.

Make Your Mark Today!

Learn How a Trademark Benefits You

If you would like to obtain TTC's trademark services or if you would like more information, please contact TTC at the address below. You can help expedite the trademark process by completing the trademark services request form. Please forward the completed form to the address below.

Technology Transfer Center
National Cancer Institute
6120 Executive Blvd. Suite 450
Rockville, MD 20852
Telephone: (301) 496-0477
Facsimile: (301) 402-2117
NIH Campus Mail: EPS, Room 450