Counterfeiting is an egregious form of trademark or copyright infringement. With counterfeit goods, not only the trademarks, but also the goods themselves are closely copied for the purpose of deceiving consumers. The economic and health-related threats stemming from counterfeits which the U.S. Department of Commerce estimates cost the U.S. economy between $200 billion and $250 billion annually are so significant that the U.S. government has made anti-counterfeiting initiatives a top border-safety priority.
Counterfeits continue to threaten American health in new and different ways. In 2012, for example, the Department of Homeland Security identified contact lenses as a new "commodity trend" among counterfeits and seized almost 100 shipments of such goods a tenfold increase from 2011. Other threats are less direct but still entail serious harm: For example, the number of counterfeit automobile safety airbags seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in 2012 increased sixfold from 2011. Imagine the catastrophic impact of airbags that deploy too late, too soon or not at all.
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law are third party online distributors of the broad collection of current and archived versions of ALM's legal news publications. LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law customers are able to access and use ALM's content, including content from the National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Legaltech News, The New York Law Journal, and Corporate Counsel, as well as other sources of legal information.
For questions call 1-877-256-2472 or contact us at [email protected]
